1  THE  AGONISTS  1 

M    A  TRILOGY  OF  GOD  AND  MAN    IB 


m      MAURICE  HEWLETT     jm 


MINOS'KING-OF'CRETE  f 

ARIADNE-TNNAXOS 
THEDEATHOF-HIPPOLYTUS., 


iiiiiiiiiii! 


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THE  AGONISTS 


THE   AGONISTS 

A  TRILOGY 
OF  GOD  AND   MAN 

BY 

MAURICE   HEWLETT 


MINOS   KING   OF   CRETE 

ARIADNE   IN   NAXOS 

THE   DEATH    OF   HIPPOLYTUS 


O  hapless  race  of  men,  who  when  they  charged 

Such  work,  such  wrath  upon  immortal  gods, 

Begat  what  groanings  for  themselves,  for  us 

What  wounds,  and  for  our  children's  sons  what  tears! 

Lucretius,  De  Rer.  Nat.  v.  1183. 


CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S   SONS 
NEW    YORK  ::::::::::::  1911 


Copyright,  iqii,  by 
CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 


Published  May,  igii 


4787 
A33 


DEDICATED 

TO 

G.  M.  P.  W.-E. 

1895-1911 


8GG8S0 


INTRODUCTION 

Here  are  three  barbarous  old  tales  treated 
dramatically,  the  first  and  most  barbarous 
never  so  treated  before,  I  should  suppose; 
the  second  a  favourite  with  the  Italians  of 
the  Cinquecento,  and  the  third  the  theme  of 
tragic  poets  from  Euripides  onwards.  Here, 
for  the  first  time,  they  are  related  as  they 
should  be,  so  that,  under  one  cover,  the 
reader  has,  for  what  it  may  be  worth,  the 
fate  of  Minos  and  his  family  express  before 
him.  Primitive  the  tales  certainly  are;  but 
they  are  in  the  great  manner.  It  will  be  my 
fault,  not  theirs,  if  in  the  presentation  of 
them  here  they  suffer  any  eclipse. 

A  good  story  well  told  will  carry  almost 

anything  the   author  is  capable  of  packing 

into  it;    and  in  these  three,  I  must  explain,  I 

have   wished   to   present   more   than   legend 

vii 


vlil  THE  AGONISTS 

alone.  I  have  thought  to  find  in  them 
taken  seriatim,  and  then  together,  a  philo- 
sophical underflow  which,  if  I  have  been 
rightly  inspired,  ought  to  be  discernible  in  my 
music.  There  is  an  effx)rt  to  express  dramati- 
cally m  Minos  King  of  Crete,  Ariadne  in  Naxos, 
and  The  Death  o/i^z/j/jo/jy/wx,  respectively  and 
collectively,  the  fallacies  which  underlay  the 
ancient  conceptions  of  Godkind  and  Mankind 
and  accounted  for  the  ancient  views  of  their 
relationships.  You  take,  as  a  starting  point, 
the  three  essential  qualities  of  God  to  be 
Power,  Love,  and  Knowledge,  and  admit  the 
essential  qualities  of  Man  to  be  the  more 
excellent  as  they  more  nearly  approach  those 
of  God;  and  you  have  in  each  of  these  plays  an 
example  of  the  failure  of  a  typical  personage, 
God  or  man,  for  lack  of  one  or  other  quality. 
Minos  was  the  son  of  Zeus,  and  failed  be- 
cause, although  he  had  Knowledge  from  his 
Father,  he  had  not  Power.  In  Ariadne  in 
Naxos  the  God  Dionysus  is  the  protagonist, 
and  his  tragedy  (and  the  woman's)  lay  in  this, 
that  he  had  Power  over  men,  but  could  not 
win  their  Love.  Lastly,  in  The  Death  of 
Hippolytiis,  we  have  a  case  of  Love  without 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

Knowledge — that  is,  self-knowledge.  Collec- 
tively, the  trilogy  presents  a  tragic  story  of  the 
failure  of  God  to  implant  himself  in  man,  and 
of  man  to  receive  into  his  nature  the  divine 
substance;  and  the  inference,  or  one  of  them, 
is,  or  may  be,  that  the  divine  qualities  can  only 
mate  with  human  faculty  in  the  ideal  presented 
to  mankind  in  the  Incarnate  God  of  the 
Christians.  To  my  mind  that  is  clear.  I  hope 
some  day  to  complete  my  trilogy  with  an  Epi- 
logue concerning  the  Passion  of  Christ.  So 
much,  then,  for  the  under-current  of  this  work, 
never  obtrusive  I  hope;  for  I  realise  exactly 
that  a  play  cannot  succeed  upon  philosophical 
excellence.  If  the  story  is  dramatic  and  the 
numbers  give  it  due  lyrical  expression,  the 
philosophy  may  be  interesting  in  itself  and 
may  enhance  the  interest  in  the  plot;  but 
otherwise  it  can  avail  the  poet  nothing. 

I  should  like  to  add  a  word  as  to  the 
versification,  to  which  I  have,  in  every  line, 
in  every  phrase,  endeavoured  to  give  an 
immediate,  personal  and  musical  impress. 
I  mean  by  that  that  the  prosody  has  varied 
throughout  with  the  mood  of  the  personages, 
and   as   the   dramatic  situation   called   forth 


X  THE  AGONISTS 

natural  lyrical  expression.  There  is  no 
metrical  system,  consequently,  but  that  con- 
ditioned by  the  subject;  yet  I  believe  that, 
read  aloud  and  as  a  whole,  each  play  will 
induce  a  specific  mood,  a  specific  kind  of 
emotion  in  the  hearer.  Believing  as  I  do 
that  all  poetry  must  be  addressed  to  the  ear, 
as  it  is  undoubtedly  composed,  I  shall  not  deny 
that  I  have  aimed  at  a  totality  of  impression 
and  have  considered  more  the  beauty  of 
the  whole  than  of  the  parts.  Nor  shall  I 
deny  that  Wagner's  method  in  opera  has 
seemed  to  me  entirely  applicable  to  poetical 
drama.  Wagner's  libretti  were  written  on  a 
strict  metrical  system;  but  his  music  was  not. 
In  my  plays  I  have  followed  faithfully,  I 
believe,  the  music  which  I  have  certainly 
heard,  but  am  incapable  of  rendering  otherwise 
than  by  rhythm.  All  that  apart,  I  have  never 
been  able  to  see  the  propriety  of  expressing 
an  infinite  variety  of  moods  in  one  con- 
ventional measure.  Here,  surely,  poetry 
may  borrow  from  prose  without  ceasing  to  be 
poetry.  The  burden  of  the  iambic  penta- 
meter has  been  too  many  for  the  poets — and, 
it  seems,  for  their  hearers.     Now  all  I  ask 


INTRODUCTION  xl 

of  mine  is  that  the  verse  be  read  to  them  as 
prose,  with  the  stresses  where  they  would 
naturally  fall,  and  full  value  given  to  the  vowel 
sounds  of  ordinary  speech.  If  this  rule  be 
observed,  and  the  indicated  pauses  followed, 
the  three  plays  ought  to  be  revealed  as  verse. 
I  composed  them  in  1895-6-7;  have 
tinkered  them  at  intervals  since.  Finally  I 
have  thrown  them  back  into  the  melting-pot, 
and  they  have  emerged  as  good  as  I  can  make 
them. 

London  191  i. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Minos  King  of  Crete       .        .        .        .       i 

Ariadne  in  N^\xos 87 

The  Death  of  Hippolytus        .        .        .  169 


MINOS    KING   OF   CRETE 


THE  ARGUMENT 

King  Minos  of  Crete  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  Zeus, 
who  as  a  Bull  had  carried  Europa,  his  mother,  thither. 
His  title  was  Son  of  the  Bull,  and  that  was  the 
cognizance  of  his  House.  Now  in  the  seventeenth 
year  of  his  reign  Poseidon  sent  a  white  bull  out  of  the 
sea  to  tempt  him.  Instead  of  offering  it  in  sacrifice  to 
that  great  God  he  caused  Daedalus  to  devise  a  labyrinth 
at  Cnossus  in  which  to  keep  it.  Then  the  curse  upon 
his  House  began.  His  wife  Pasiphae  sinned  mon- 
strously, and  was  delivered  of  Minotaur  the  monster, 
scourge  and  devourer  of  the  Cretans.  King  Minos 
aghast,  but  knowing  nothing  of  his  wife's  guilt,  went 
to  seek  counsel  in  the  next  year  of  his  reign  of  his 
Father  and  Lord  on  Mount  Ida:  for  such  was  his 
custom  every  ninth  year.  While  he  was  on  his  journey 
home  to  Cnossus,  Queen  Pasiphae  died.  At  this 
moment  the  play  begins. 


PERSONS 

Daedalus,  the  Athenian. 

Graulis,  nurse  to  Pasiphae. 

A  Priest  of  Zeus. 

Cretan  Elders. 

A  Huntsman. 

Minos. 

Priestess  of  Artemis  Dictynna. 

A  Messenger  from  Athens. 

A  Second  Messenger  from  the  same  city. 

Scene 

The  sea-wall  at  Cnossus.  In  the  centre  of  the  wall 
a  watch-tower.  Right,  the  King's  House  with  the 
Judgment  Seat.  Left,  Shrine  of  the  Oracle  of  Artemis- 
Dictynna. 

Time 

Before  Dawn,  then  Sunrise. 


MINOS  KING  OF  CRETE 

As  the  curtains  open  Daedalus,  sharp  against  the 
sky,  is  seen  motionless  on  the  watch-tower,  looking 
eastward  over  the  sea.  The  wash  of  the  waves  on  the 
beach  below  the  wall  is  all  the  sound  heard.  Presently, 
from  the  King's  House  comes  the  sound  of  low  but 
continued  wailing,  as  of  women  mourning.  Daedalus 
lifts  his  arms  out,  holds  them  so,  then  drops  them  in 
despair. 

He  folds  his  cloak  about  him,  and  speaks,  looking 
over  the  sea. 

Daedalus 

Watchman,  wait  thou  and  watch; 

The  night  neareth  her  death. 

With  her  the  wicked  and  weary  alike 

Make  an  end  of  moaning,  sleep  and  forget; 

[He  pauses,  opens  his  cloak  and  lifts  his  hands. 

And  the  sun  sweetens  the  world! 

[He  lifts  his  face  and  turns  his  check  to  feel  the  wind. 

A  wind  shivers  the  sea:  with  dawn 

The  King  should  come;    from  the  Gates  of 

the  Sun, 
He  and  the  Dawn  together! 

5 


6  THE  AGONISTS  i 

He  stands  looking  out  in  silence.  The  wailing  of 
women  in  the  house  rises  in  volume  and  strength. 
Daedalus  is  aware  of  it  now.  A  long  note  as  of  a 
trumpet;  then  silence.     Daedalus  thrills  and  listens. 

The    wicked    and    weary    shall    end    their 

moaning, 
The  King  come  from  the  house  of  God — 
He  and  the  Dawn  together! 

Graulis  comes  quickly  out  of  the  King's  House, 
holding  high  her  hands. 

Graulis 
Daedalus!     Daedalus!     Daedalus! 

Daedalus 

I  am  about  the  death-bed  of  the  Night. 
Who  calls  ?     Who  comes  between  me  and 
my  dead  ? 

Graulis 

Death  has  been  busy.     Come  down. 
O  Daedalus,  come  quick! 

Daedalus 

Thou,  Graulis! 
Stay,  I  come  down. 

He  comes  down  from  the  wall  and  meets  Graulis. 
She  has  covered  her  head,  she  bows  it,  and  stretches 
out  her  hands  like  a  blind  woman  feeling  for  the  way. 
Daedalus  watches  her  gravely. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE  7 

Daedalus  (very  grave) 
No  need  to  cover  thy  head. 

Graulis  (whispering,  in  haste) 

0  Daedalus,  come  with  me! 

Daedalus 
No  need  to  peer  upon  me. 

Graulis  « 

1  implore,  I  implore 

Daedalus 

The  sick  breath  of  the  night 

Reads  me  thy  rune. 

So  she  is  dead!     Died  mad — • 

Loathing  herself! 

Speak,  is  that  true  ? 

Graulis 

She  is  dead,  Daedalus. 
Ah,  man,  have  mercy! 

(Lifting  hands  and  voice) 

Golden  Pasiphae  is  dead!  and  we 

Orphaned  of  so  much  light! 

Ai,  ai!  my  lovely  one,  my  lovely  head! 

[She  rocks  herself  about. 


8  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Daedalus 

Out  on  thy  whining,  woman.     Thou  and  I 

know 
How  lovely  her  Hfe  was,  and  whether  blest. 

Graulis  (shocked) 

Hush,  O  hush, 
Blame  not  the  dead. 

(Brokenly) 

She  loved  me,  who  was  lovely,  and  is  dead. 

Daedalus 

(Recoils,  then  snatches  her  wrist  with  fury) 

Lovely,  thou  fond  old  fool! 

Lovely!  whose  hot  sin 

Made  Heaven  shudder,  and  Crete  cower! 

Made  me  a  dog,  and  Minos 

Byword  of  shame  among  men. 

(Abruptly  breaking  off) 

Tell  me,  old  fool,  of  him 
I  dare  not  name — that  thing 
This  lovely  mother  has  made. 

Graulis  (in  terror) 
Hush,  for  God's  pity! 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE         9 

Daedalus 
But  thou  shalt  speak 

Graulis  (whispering) 
Safe! 
Safe  in  the  web  thy  cunning  wove  for  her 

sake — 
Safe  while  Crete  feedeth  it — 

Daedalus 

With  blood! 

Graulis  (after  a  pause) 

She  died  mad,  craving  the  sight 

Of  that  which  her  womb — of  that  dread! 

Daedalus 
Of  her  babe,  thou  wouldst  say  ? 

Graulis  (wildly) 
Ah,  no,  no!     O  God 

Daedalus  turns  his  back  on  her  and  paces  the  scene. 
Graulis  comes  after  him  to  tell  him  the  tale. 

Lovely  she  was,  and  loved  me,  but  died  mad. 
Not  knowing  of  her  sin,  nor  her  sin's  fruit. 
Nor  me,  who  knew  of  both,  and    loved    her 
still. 


10  THE  AGONISTS  i 

After  that  wild  hour 

When  her  dire  anguish  made  a  child  of  her, 
And  floated  all  her  terror  and  her  sin 
Out  in  a  tide  together — she  wailed  all  day, 
"Ah,  Graulis,  Graulis,  hold  me,  let  not  go. 
My  two  hands,  Graulis!"     So  she  moaned 

all  day, 
And  all  the  long  hot  nights,  but  never  saw 
Who  held  her,  stroked  her  hair,  tendered  the 

cup 
To  her  dry  lips.  .  .  .  And  she  was  my  child, 
Fostered  upon  my  breasts!     Shall  a  mother 

hold  back 
When  her  child  cries  ? 
Wilt  thou  talk  of  her  sin 
To  me,  her  mother,  that  loved  her? 
Out  on  thee,  childless  wretch! 

All  day,  all  night  she  clung  and  moaned  for 

me 
To  come — and  I  was  there! 
"Graulis!"     she     wailed,     and     "Graulis! 

Graulis! 
Come  to  me!"     I,  who  was  there! 
Who  never  left  her! 
Only,  in  all  that  house,  I  loved  her. 
Only  in  all  that  house,  she  knew  not  me! 
At   last,   as   one   that   could   bear   no   more 

sorrow, 
Nor  separation  from  me,  whom  she  loved — ■ 
And  I  there,  holding  her! — 


I         MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       ii 

She  threw  her  two  arms  out,  as  a  child, 

And  wailing,  "I  am  thirsty,  give  me  drink," 

Ere  I  could  feed  her,  sighed  her  breath  away, 

And  lovely  lay 

As  if  sin  were  not,  and  she 

The  last  born  sister  of  her  children — 

My  Queen  Pasiphai- — dead! 


Daedalus 


Dead  of  her  sin. 
And  in  sin,  dead. 


Graulis 


No  man  could  look  and  think  sin. 
Nor  her  rebuke.     The  perfect  are  a  law 
Unto  themselves.     Refuse  her  not 
The  peace  she  testifies. 

Daedalus 

Her  sin  is  lead  about  her  neck — 

She  drowns  in  it,  and  drowneth  this  land, 

Tainted  by  her. 

Graulis 

Judge  not  thy  benefactress,  man. 

As  for  me, 

All  my  old  breath  shall  honour  her. 

(Quickly) 

And  what  of  thee — that  helped  her .? 


12  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Daedalus 
Helped  her? 

Graulis 

To  hide  her  horror — ay! 
Ay!  and  to  make  her  horror. 

Daedalus 

What  of  the  King,  thy  master  and  mine  ? 
What   of   King    Minos,  coming   home  with 
dawn  ? 

Graulis 

What  of  him,  servant  of  Minos, 
Served  as  thou  servedst  him  lately  ? 

[Daedalus  stands  confused. 

(Eagerly) 

Will  he  be  served  by  tales  of  the  dead  ? 
How  shall  it  serve  him  to  scorn  the  dead  ? 
Or  tell  the  tale  of  the  Sin  ?     Thou  durst  not 
Deny  the  rites — thou  durst  not. 

Daedalus  turns  away  and  hides  his  face.  Graulis 
watches  him  intently.  Presently  he  uncovers  and 
looks  skyward. 

Daedalus 

I  loved  her,  she  was  lovely:  let  the  rites 
Be  fully  done,  that  so  her  soul  go  down 
Decently  to  the  windy  house  of  the  dead. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE        13 

Then,  when  they  see  the  stains  upon  her, 
And  Hell  is  silent,  one  shall  say,  O  Lord, 
King  of  the  dark,  this  was  a  Queen: 
She  beareth  sacrifice,  her  hands, 
Her  wicked  body,  are  washed  in  water: 
Take  her,  she  was  lovely,  and  loved  much. 

[He  pauses,  then  adds  grimly 

And  was  much  loved,  God  knows,  and  over 
much! 

[He  turns  to  Graulis. 

If  thou   wouldst  hide   these   things,   do   the 

rites  now. 
Set  up  the  pyre,  anoint,  dress  her  fairly 
In    virgin    white.     So    let    her    pass    for    a 

Queen, 
Not  carrion. 
Then  meet  Minos,  Searcher  of  hearts! 

[Graulis  goes  swiftly  into  the  house. 

A  little  while,  O  Crete, 

And    Daedalus,    thy    knave,    must    take    his 

wages. 
Find  the  dark  road,  and  journey  it  alone. 

The  shaping  hand,  the  spinning  brain, 

The  joy  of  his  toil  a  man  may  take. 

Soul,  Soul,  are  these  in  vain  .'' 

Heart,  must  thou  break .? 

Her  heart  to  my  heart  leaned  and  spake 

In  urgent  whisper  and  low. 


14  THE  AGONISTS  i 

"Do  this  sin  for  my  body's  sake!'* 
O  lovely  body  that  I  loved  so, 
O  vile  heart,  that  dared  not  know 
Wreck  of  body  and  brain — 
Nor  thy  toil  vain! 

He  stands  mute  in  despair.     The  Priest  of  Zeus 
comes  out  of  the  shrine. 


Priest 
Dost  thou  watch,  Daedalus  ? 

Daedalus 
The  morning  breaks. 

Priest 
With  comfort,  or  promise  ? 

Daedalus 
The  King  cometh  not. 

Priest 
Then  is  the  End  upon  us. 

Daedalus 
There  is  Death:  pray  to  him. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE        15 

Priest 

Minotaur  hath  more  pity, 

For  he  would  end  Crete  in  one  drench  of 

Death; 
But  the  Gods  kill  slowly. 

Daedalus 
How  long  can  we  endure  ? 

Priest 
Minotaur  feedeth  apace. 

Daedalus 
Death  comes  but  once 


Prie 


ST 


Shall  a  man  live,  with  his  fate 
Burning  before  his  face  ? 

Daedalus 

He  that  knows  he  must  die, 
Does  he  care  if  he  live  ? 

The  funeral  procession  of  women,  bearing  Pasipiiae 
uncovered  on  a  bier,  comes  out  of  the  King's  House, 
and  passes  over  the  stage  to  a  wailing  chant. 

Priest 
One  dead! 


i6 

THE   AGONISTS 

Dead, 

dead. 

Daedalus 

Priest 
What  dreadful  stroke ? 

Daedalus 

Ask  me  not.     Death  is  busy  here. 
Better  die  quick,  as  she  died. 

Priest 

Yes,  for  to  wait. 

To  wait  wide-eyed,  worketh  madness. 

[He  sings  of  the  terror  of  Crete. 

Men  dare  not  meet  each  other 

For  fear  to  read  the  grief. 

And  weep  to  see  it,  and  drown 

All  manhood  out;  but  each 

Goeth  apart  with  his  mantle  over  his  face, 

And  letteth  the  pain  gride. 

Hanker  and  grope  in  his  heart; 

And  setteth  his  teeth,  lest  his  brother 

See  his  pain,  and  utter  a  cry. 

And  a  whole  city  go  weeping. 

So  he  endureth,  till  night 

Cover  him  up  from  his  brother's  sight. 

Look  to  the  shore.     What  seest  thou  there  ^ 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE        17 

Daedalus  (on  the  wall) 

I  see  the  dust  of  the  surf. 
The  trees  stir  not;  birds  float 
Nested  upon  the  waters. 

[Smoke  goes  up  from  the  sea-shore. 

A  soul  goes  shuddering  out,  Hke  a  prayer. 
Pray  for  it. 

[The  rim  of  the  Sun  comes  up  from  the  sea. 

Priest 

Lo,  lo,  the  Sun! 

Your  prayer  is  heard.     Minos  returns, 
Heartened  by  secret  lore — 
Knowledge  gotten  of  God. 

Daedalus 

Send   so!     For  if  he   knows,   what  need   to 
tell .? 

Priest  (inspired) 

Nine  years  have  waxed  and  waned 
Since  our  Lord  sought  his  Lord 
On  Ida,  treading  where 
No  foot  of  man  micht  dare. 
The  thicket  hushed  by  God. 
Four  cycles  of  such  scope 
Have  crowned  his  sacred  head 


i8  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Since  he,  our  final  hope, 
Took  up  the  godlihead 
His  father  gave.     As  a  sword 
He  weareth  Zeus's  word, 
And  as  a  kingly  cope 
Lieth  King  Zeus's  dread 
On  Minos,  Son  of  Zeus, 
Minos,  Son  of  the  Bull! 

Daedalus,  who  has  been  watching,  now  sees  a 
procession  at  hand. 

Daedalus 

Make  now  your  prayer.     See — 

The  Cretan  Elders  come  to  meet  the  Dawn. 

Priest 

Go  down  to  them 
While  I  cry  to  the  Sun. 

Daedalus 

Nay,    I    have   other   work.     Let   Crete   save 
Crete. 

Daedalus  comes  down  from  the  wall  and  goes 
slowly  into  the  King's  House.  The  Priest  turns  him 
to  the  Sun,  and  prays  with  lifted  hands.  The  Elders 
enter,  singing  the  Parabasis. 

Chorus 

First  I  salute  you,  Hills, 
Guardians  of  Crete,  with  brows 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE        19 

Careful  and  hands  uplift: 
Thee,  Dicte,  beneath  whose  moon 
Dwelleth  the  Goddess,  the  lonely  one; 
Thee,  Dicte,  from  whose  bare  crag, 
Casting  her  delicate  treasure 
Seawards,  the  maid  Britomartis 
In  death  found  life.     Next  to  thee, 
Ida!  whose  haunts  great  Zeus 
Knew  and  still  loves. 

You  also, 
Cydonian,  Sea-Sentinels, 
Sisters  who,  linkt  in  ice, 
With  glittering  crowns  arow, 
Watch  while  night  on  the  heels 
Of  day  followeth  and  cloudeth  them. 
O  ye  dread  haunts  of  God, 
Pathless,  dim  and  untrod, 
By  men  adored  from  afar, 
By  that  great  strength  ye  are, 
Holding  your  steadfast  way 
Through  good  and  evil  report. 
Through  tempest  and  our  dismay. 
Through  blinding  snow  and  frost — 
Ye  that  only  abide 
Mid  chance  and  change,  for  no  man 
Knows,  nor  his  fathers  have  told  him, 
When  ye  were  not  as  now — 
Listen,  each  haunted  place. 
Ye  hills,  each  quick  with  a  God, 
Listen!  most  evil  case 
Is  on  us;  our  feet  have  trod 


20  THE  AGONISTS  i 

The  steep  that  leadeth  astray 
By  pain  from  the  clear  way; 
We  have  sHpt  in  our  own  blood. 
And  day  draggeth  on  day! 

Terrible  rumour  is  heard  from  the  city.     They  draw 
closer  together,  and  whisper  to  each  other. 

How  shall  I  tell  the  story, 

The  crying  fear  ? 

The  watchman  dead  at  his  post, 

Stiffened  with  fear  as  a  man  bitten  by  frost! 

Doom  in  the  thick  air! 

[A  loud  cry.     Then  silence. 

The  sound  of  a  voice  in  fear! 

One  shrill  cry  like  a  trumpet  blast — 

And  again — and  again! 

The  Guard  called  out,  the  Assembly  in  haste. 

The  panic,  the  rain 

Of   voices— "I    saw    it!"     "O    hush    ye!" 

"Tis  here!" 
"Make  fast!" 
"Are  the  children  past.?" 
"Are  they  safe  at  home?"     All  the  stifled 

pain, 
The  open  dread 
Of  men  shamefully  dead 
Lies  about  Cnossus,  darkens  her  ways. 

[Another  cry,  with  the  scream  of  a  woman. 

Minotaur!  Minotaur!  Minotaur! 
Blood-feeder,  raving,  insatiate 


I         MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       21 

Lecher  for  flesh! 

Curious  lust  and  inordinate 

Hanker  for  delicate  meat! 

Sweet  blood,  Hght  breath, 

Virginal  breath  he  needeth; 

Day  after  day  he  feedeth 

Upon  the  treasure  we  cherish! 

Child  after  child  of  ours, 

Fruit  of  our  love's  flowers, 

We  must  see  perish! 

Not  our  paid  Hves 

Whose  work  is  over  and  past  he  craveth — 

More  than  that  a  mother  will  spend 

For  the  life  she  loveth, 

To  die  that  it  live! 

We  have  fathers  to  give 

Their    joyance    of   days    for    the    sons    they 

begat — 
But  Minotaur  slayeth  more  rarely: 
Leaveth  the  sire,  leaveth  the  dam 
For  the  little  lamb — 
Slowly,  surely,  ravenous,  taketh  him! 

Their  fear  gives  way  to  repining.  Then  with  a 
common  impulse  they  turn  imploring  to  the  Shrine  of 
Dictynna. 

Queen  of  the  Hills,  O  Maid 
Stainless,  the  unafraid, 
From  whose  grave,  tender  eyes 
Light  as  of  evening  skies 
Shineth  and  sheddeth  balm 


22  THE  AGONISTS  i 

On  men!     O  quiet  and  calm, 
Thou  who  with  bent  down  head 
Dost  stand  above  the  bed, 
And  with  thy  torch's  Hght 
Direct  the  newborn  sight 
Unto  thy  holy  face, 
That  its  first  view  be  grace — 
Hear  us  and  help  us  Thou, 
Maid  of  the  open  brow! 

They  stand  with  stretched-out  arms,  as  if  expecting 
a  sign;  but  none  comes.  Then  they  turn  to  their 
philosophy. 

Seeing  to  none  'tis  given 

To  read  wisdom  from  Heaven; 

Seeing  the  Gods  reign 

Neither  pitying  our  pain. 

Nor  stooping,  rather  pursuing 

Their  sport  in  our  undoing — 

It  doth  become  us,  earthwise, 

To  You,  Hills,  to  lift  our  eyes; 

Loving  the  ancient  law. 

To  fold  us  within  your  awe. 

Win  strength  from  your  strength  to  abide 

What  fortune  us  may  betide. 

They  now  turn  their  faces  above  the  city  to  the 
ramparting  hills. 

O  ye  hills,  grant  us  your  patience; 
O  hills,  your  peace  be  upon  us! 
May  the  good  Gods  of  the  hills 
Lay  benediction  upon  us! 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       23 

The  Priest,  his  prayer  finished,  joins  the  Elders 
and  speaks  with  them. 

Priest 

Sons,  ye  do  well  to  call  upon  your  hills, 
For  there  She  wonneth  who  is  Lady  of  them. 

Chorus 

Hymnia  called,  best  praised  in  song — 
Seeing  her  breath  is  music. 

Priest 

This  load  shall  lift  and  pass 

With  the  King's  coming. 

He,  Minos,  alone 

In  Ida's  thicket,  there 

Alone  with  his  father  Zeus, 

Gains  secret  wisdom  from  him 

Of  cause,  and  purpose,  and  law — 

Evil    and    Good    to    see,    to    weigh,    and    to 

choose. 
Burdened  with  which  awful  freight 
He  Cometh — peace  to  ensue. 

Chorus  I 

Great  is  Minos!     But  see — 
Who  is  this  newcomer  ? 


24  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Chorus  II 

Bringing  the  smell  of  woods 
And  dust  of  country  ways 
Within  these  tainted  walls! 

Chorus  I 

This  is  some  uplander, 
Huntsman  grim  with  weather, 
Who  not  as  a  townsman  walks. 

Chorus  III 

Nay,  but  as  master  of  Time, 
Not  the  pitiful  slave. 

The  Huntsman  has  entered  the  city.  He  is  the 
embodiment  of  earthy  simplicity  and  plain  dealing. 
The  Elders  watch  him,  and  converse  in  undertones  as 
he  looks  deliberately  about  him. 

Chorus 

What  needest  thou 
In  the  King's  Gate .? 
What  dost  thou  seek 
With  thy  steady  eyes  .? 
Is  it  a  vow 
Of  love  or  hate 
Draweth  thee  on. 
Purposeful, 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       25 

To  the  strong  tower 

Of  the  House  of  the  Bull  ? 

He  comes  towards  them:    they  await  him  now  in 
silence. 

Huntsman 

Tell  me  if  this  is  Cnossus,  that  the  House 
Of  Minos,  King  in  Crete. 

Chorus 

An  hundred  cities  hath  Crete, 
Lordship  from  sea  to  sea, 
Whereof  the  frontal  jewel 
Is  Cnossus;  wherein  thou  art — • 
Cnossus:  for  here  King  Zeus, 
When  he  had  stemmed  the  flood — • 
God  veiled  in  the  girth 
And  silken  hide  of  a  Bull — 
Splendid  lover,  abode 
With  the  white  maid 
Europa,  chosen  and  set 
Apart  to  be  mother  of  Kings, 
Sons  of  God!     Here  our  Lord, 
Splendid  lover,  saw  light 
Flutter  and  fill  the  eyes 
Of  Minos,  glory  of  Crete, 
Son  of  the  Bull! 

But  thou,  who  art  thou  ?     Whence  come  ? 
From  what  outland,  to  seek  him  ? 


26  THE  AGONISTS 

Huntsman 

From  Ida  come  I,  from  the  forest, 
To  meet  this  Minos. 

Priest 

From  Ida,  thou!     Dost  thou  know 
The  holy  Mount,  and  the  Grove 
Sacred  to  Zeus,  where  no  man 
Dare  tread,  lest  he  meet  with  God  ? 

Huntsman 

I  know  the  place,  and  that  God 
Walketh  in  secret  there 
Unshadowed  by  Sun. 

Chorus 

Seek  Minos  there. 

There  he  walketh  with  God! 

Huntsman 

Betimes  I  left  it;  the  moon 

Shone  in  the  trees.     I  saw  no  man. 

Chorus 

How  shouldst  thou  see 

King  Minos,  walking  with  God! 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE        27 

Huntsman  (slowly) 
Walketh  Minos  with  God  ? 

Priest 

Each  ninth  year  he  is  rapt 
Deep  into  Ida;  and  God 
Breathes  upon  him,  and  pours 
Wisdom  into  his  ear. 
Then  he  comes  home  a  God — 
God  to  Crete  and  this  people. 

The  Huntsman  ponders  this  saying  in  silence,  lean- 
ing upon  his  spear.  His  questions  following  are  very 
slow  and  deliberate,  the  answers  quick  and  eager. 

Huntsman 

And  now  on  Ida  he  walks — 
He,  Minos,  with  God  ^ 

Chorus 
A  Son,  he  walks  with  his  father. 

Huntsman 

Nine  years  ago  he  w^alkcd 
Ida  ?     Minos  with  God  ? 

Chorus 
A  son,  with  his  father  Zeus. 


28 

THE  AGONIS 
Huntsman 

;ts 

1 

Minos 

alone ! 

Chorus 

Alone  with  God. 

[A  pause, 

Huntsman 

I  need 

to  see  this  Minos. 

[The 

Elders 

are  amazed. 

Chorus 

Thou!     What  is  thy  need  .? 
Is  it  a  grief.?     A  sin  done.? 

Huntsman 

Grief,  a  sin,  a  wrong  done; 

A  price  for  blood, 

A  life  for  a  life: 

These  I  require  of  Minos. 

They  enquire  of  each  other  dumbly,  then  volubly 
of  him. 

Chorus 

Thou  hast  a  blood-feud  smouldering.  Against 
whom  ? 

Huntsman 

Minos,  the  wise  king,  shall  point  him  out. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       29 

Chorus 

Who    shed    this    blood  ?     Knowst   thou    the 
man  ? 

Huntsman 
That  Son  of  God  will  know  him. 

Chorus 

Yet  I  would  learn  thy  grief. 

[A  pause. 

Huntsman  (incisively) 

Britomart's  was  my  grief: 
My  sister,  she. 

The  Elders  shrink  back.     All  know  the  tale  of 
Britomartis. 

Chorus 

Alas  for  her!     Alas 
For  thee,  O  friend! 

The  Huntsman  rehearses  his  talc  of  Britomartis, 
as  in  a  reverie. 

Huntsman 

On  Dicte,  fronting  the  sea, 

Standeth  the  House  of  the  shining  One, 

Artemis,  Delian-born. 

There  served  her  Britomartis, 


30  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Virgin-witness,  my  sister, 
Vowed  to  the  Virginal  Goddess, 
Patroness  of  the  pure. 

Chorus 

Artemis  hath  her  now — 
Comfort  thee,  friend. 

Huntsman 

We,  in  our  father's  house, 
Dwelt  on  Ida;  and  saw 
(White  as  her  soul)  the  shrine 
Heading  the  sea,  as  peak 
Looks  upon  peak  from  afar. 

Chorus 

Dicte  and  Ida,  twin  holds 

Of  Godhead !     Speed  with  thy  tale. 

Huntsman  (slowlier) 

Upon  a  day 

My  sister  left  her  charge,  to  keep  the  feast 

Of  the  New  Wine  at  home.     Ere  next  day 

dawn 
She  left  our  hold :   I  watched  her  on  the  way 
Go  down  the  valley  by  the  winding  road, 
Over  the  river  bed,  and  by  the  bank 
Slow-climbing,  breast  the  steep 
Where  Dicte  fronts  the  sea. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       31 

(Quickening) 

I  saw  a  horseman  ride  fast, 
Draw  rein  beside  her,  and  stoop, 
Snatch,  Hft  her  up,  drive  spurs 
Deep — carry  her  off 
Over  the  windy  hill. 
I  saw  her  plead  with  wild  arms, 
Flung  back  head,  streaming  hair — • 
Vain!     He  had  her.     But  she. 
Sudden,  shook  free,  and  on  wings 
Fled  down  the  wind,  he  pursuing. 
Husbanding  his  long  lust. 
Dicte  she  clomb,  whence  the  sea 
Lies  far  below,  without  sound, 
Deep-twinkling,  not  resting, 
Surging,  drifting  for  ever! 
To  that  dim  sea  she  held  out 
Wide  her  piteous  hands, 
Making  her  moan  and  prayer, 
"Maid  of  all  maids,  take  me. 
Hold  me  fast!"     O'er  the  steep 
Into  blue  air  she  launched 
Her  soul's  frail  raft — and  from  Ida 
I  wailed  her  name,  and  still  wail  it! 

[ITc  pauses,  then  resumes. 

And  he,  ravisher,  thief, 
Rode  his  desolate  way,  scourging  the  earth 
As  a  black  squall  whippeth  the  sea. 
But  I  shall  meet  him:  life  for  a  life. 


32  THE  AGONISTS  i 

The  Elders  respect  his  vendetta,  but  try  their 
philosophy  upon  him. 

Chorus 

Britomart's  ghost,  querulous. 

Men  say,  still  flits  about 

The  precinct  where  her  heart 

Was  fixt,  and  in  the  night 

Her  prayers  sob  round  the  aisles. 

So  the  haplessly  dead, 

Pluckt  too  soon  from  the  earth, 

Haunt  it  still,  living  again 

Unsubstantially  there! 

Priest 

Man's  spirit  never  vi^holly  leaves  the  earth 
Until  the  debt  he  oweth,  and  the  debts 
Not  paid  him  have  been  balanced  and  writ 

ofF. 
Often-times  we  are  debtors  to  the  dead. 

Huntsman 

There  is  a  debtor  to  my  dead 
Not  quit.     Minos  must  pay  him. 

Rumour  swells  as  the  stage  lightens  with  the  sun. 
The  Priest  sees  the  palace  doors  open  and  the  slaves 
come  out  to  lay  a  carpet  on  the  steps.  He  points  his 
hand  towards  them.  Rumour,  as  if  from  the  house, 
swells  and  gains  volume. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       33 

Priest 

O  timely,  timely  is  Minos! 

Even  as  our  lord  the  Sun 

Out  of  the  eastern  gates, 

So  from  his  Golden  House  cometh  the  King. 

Set  thou  thy  grief  on  his  knees, 

Friend.     Be  sure  he  can  lay 

Thy  dead,  so  her  sobbing  and  wailing 

Flit  not  the  night  through  round  the  eaves. 

The  Huntsman  withdraws  himself  to  the  shadow  of 
the  wall,  where  he  waits  and  watches. 

Chorus 

Would  that  our  grief  could  find   as  easy  a 

cure! 
But  Death  done  gentlier  weighs  than  death 

to  come. 

Priest 

Yea,  it  is  Minos!     O  come, 

Let  us  fall  at  his  feet. 

As  to  a  pitiful  father  and  wise. 

Chorus 

His  glory  is  like  a  cedar 
Dominant  in  the  forest. 
Whose  branches  still  the  air 
And  roots  hold  earth  in  fee. 

Minos  comes  out  of  his  house  and  faces  the  people. 
All  raise  their  hands  as  to  a  vision  of  God. 


34  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Chorus 

Stand  fast  for  ever,  chosen  of  Zeus! 
Son  of  the  Bull,  fast  for  ever! 
Lord  of  Crete  and  the  Islands,  Son  of  the 
Bull! 

What,  are  my  eyes  so  dim, 
Is  their  light  gone  out  ? 

Is    a    God    come,    dreadful,    with    thunder- 
shout  ? 
Nay,  thou  fool,  'tis  the  Sun  cometh  out 
To  shame  the  darkness  and  doubt. 

[They  hold  out  their  arms  to  him,  imploring. 

Give  us  our  dead,  Minos! 
Give  us  peace  and  our  dead! 
Peace  that  in  elder  days 
Spread  the  M^armth  of  her  eyes. 
The  rose  of  her  welcoming  mouth. 
Gladdened  us,  praying  to  her! 

[The  Priest  bids  them  silent. 

Priest 

The  King  speaks  from  his  high  throne! 
Wisdom  hath  found  her  an  house;    from  the 

gates  of  his  lips 
She  poureth  her  embassies  forth. 

[Minos,  standing  up,  speaks. 


MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       35 


Minos 

Sons,  for  I  call  you  sons, 

Sons  whom  my  father  Zeus 

Laid  on  the  fragrant  lap 

Of  Crete,  your  mother,  and  bade  me 

Cherish  you  as  I  loved  her! 

See  now,  through  fair  and  foul 

Seasons  I  gave  ye  my  days. 

All  the  worth  of  my  manhood, 

Fruit  of  my  age  and  blood. 

Statecraft,  lore;  add  to  that 

Counsel  got  from  my  father. 

That  ye  might  prosper.     But  now. 

Seeing  ye  prosper  not. 

Seeing  that  peace  which  ye  had 

Is  no  peace,  fast  have  I  been 

In  Ida,  with  Zeus  my  father. 

Spending  the  dew  of  prayer. 

Watching  out  nights  and  days. 

Yearlong  watching!     And  lo. 

Our  Lord  in  the  forest  breath, 

Adown  the  trees  whispered,  Go  thou 

Back  to  thy  House;  seek  Dictynna, 

The  shining  One,  for  a  sign. 

Thus  come  I  from  his  knees 

To  her  knees;  thus  will  I  do. 

The  people  keep  silence.     The  Priest  voices  their 
anguish. 


36  THE  AGONISTS 


Priest 

None  too  soon,  Minos,  thy  sign. 
Minotaur  ravens;  our  children  die. 

Minos  crosses  to  the  Shrine,  mounts  the  steps  and 
stands  before  the  altar.  They  light  the  altar-fire.  As 
he  makes  his  prayer  he  pours  on  wine  and  scatters 
frankincense. 


Minos 

Let  me  speak  now,  for  lo! 

The  sun  is  broad  on  the  world. 

Give  me  drink-offering;  cast  down 

Your  poppy  crowns  on  the  floor. 

Pouring  the  wine  now,  I  say 

To  thee,  Dictaean,  the  white. 

The  perfect,  whom  we  of  all  Gods 

Know  best  and  oftenest  invoke 

At  each  new  moon,  behold! 

In  an  acceptable  time 

My  prayer  for  light,  since  clear  light 

From    Heaven's    threshold    spreads    on    the 

world. 
Surely  the  time  is  ripe. 
Goddess!     I,  being  old, 
With  dreadful  knowledge  instored 
Of  dreadful  deeds,  can  no  more 
Drag  my  fardel,  but  set  it 
Down,  and  my  sons  set  down 
Theirs,  and  await  thy  word. 


MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       37 


Priest 

Ah,  swift  and  secret!     Ah,  Huntress, 
Who  when  the  night  is  high 
Rangest  abroad  through  the  brake 
Euboean,  or  where  the  hills 
Like  unto  silent  waves 
Beset  green  Arcady! 

O  steadfast  and  sure,  O  holy, 

O  grey-eyed  Maiden  far-seeing, 

O  lovely  as  light  on  the  hills, 

O  kind  as  the  sun  on  the  hill-tops! 

O  clear  and  pure,  to  whose  beam 

Is  given  to  cleave  things  hid 

In  men's  dark  souls — lift  now 

The  shroud  of  pain  from  our  heads! 

Like  as  the  wretch  who  in  fever 

Turneth  his  aching  eyeballs 

In  thought  to  the  water  meadows, 

And  in  thought  slaketh  his  tongue 

In  running  brooks,  so  thy  children 

Stifled  in  sin,  crave 

One  pasture-fragrance  from  Thee 

Who  savourcst  earth  and  blessest  it. 

All  wait  expectant.  The  veil  of  the  Shrine  is  pulled 
back  by  invisible  hands,  and  the  Priestess,  shrouded  all 
but  the  face  in  white  linen,  is  seen  swaying  above  the 
tripod. 


38  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Priest  (aloud) 

Lo,  the  unveiling! 
Fire  and  mist! 

Minos 
Speak,  Goddess! 

Priest 
Hush,  for  she  speaks! 

The  Priestess  speaks  the  Oracle,  in  a  monotone,  as 
if  by  rote. 

Priestess 

The  voice  of  the  fire  in  my  voice 

Speaking  to  you,  Crete: 

Because  ye  have  made  choice 

Of  sin,  with  tears  shall  ye  eat 

Ashes  and  dust  for  your  meat. 

And  salt  blood  for  your  wine. 

Ye  have  chosen  with  Hell  your  seat, 

Saith  the  Goddess,  instead  of  mine; 

And  that  law  is  a  law  divine, 

Where  soweth  a  man  he  shall  reap. 

How  shall  ye  ask  a  sign, 

Saith  the  Holy  One,  while  ye  weep  ? 

Work,  work,  ere  ye  sleep. 

Hold  ye  the  ancient  road; 

Tho'  stony  it  be  and  steep, 

Ye  shall  win  if  ye  take  it,  saith  God. 

The  road  that  your  fathers  trod. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       39 

Ye  shall  be  saved  if  ye  run — 
But  woe  upon  woe  till  the  blood 
Of  the  Bull  be  drained  and  done. 

The  Oracle  is  slowly  veiled.  Confused  murmurs 
beset  the  crowd,  in  the  midst  of  this  Minos  utters  a 
cry,  and  all  are  silent. 

Minos 

The  bull's  blood!     Lo,  my  sin 
Rises  and  shakes  his  head. 

Chorus  (murmuring) 
What  blood  of  what  bull  is  this  ? 

Minos 

The  bull's  blood!     Thou  art  stern, 
Poseidon,  shaker  of  earth. 

Priest 

What  wit  save  thine  can  fathom 
The  rune  we  have  here  ? 

Minos  (to  himself) 

How  shall  a  man  know 
Fate  in  his  deed  ^     'Tis  done; 
From  it  grown  rank,  like  flies, 
Issues  innumerable 
Spread  spores  of  death! 

The  people  buzz  among  themselves,  while  Minos, 
heard  only  by  the  Priest,  moralises. 


40  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Chorus 

When  the  word  went  forth,  like  an  arrow  in 

flight 
From  a  ventureful  bow  drawn  to  its  height, 
Even  as  the  struck  eagle  reels,  and  the  night 
Filmeth  his  eyes,  the  King  in  his  state 
Droops;  and  his  panoplied  might 
Drags    on    his    shrunken    limbs,    intol'rable 

weight. 

Minos  (aside) 

Be  sure  a  man's  sin  must  out; 
Time  not  hide  it,  nor  pomp 
Of  deeds  glorious.     Below 
His  broad  raiment  his  limbs. 
Starved,  naked,  behold! 

Chorus 

I  know  that  the  mind  of  a  man  is  a  sherd 
Stored   with   knowledge   hke  wind;    for  his 

word 
Bringeth  no  deeds  to  pass.     Nay!   as  a  herd 
Of  kine  passion  driveth  our  wits 
Hither  in  panic,  thither  when  lust  is  stirred — 
And  Care  the  fisherman  setteth  his  nets. 

Minos  (aside) 

Too  old  am  I,  that  with  face 
Of  brass  I  should  bid  fall 


I         MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE        41 

Dire  mischance,  sooner  than  shame 
Confound  me.     Nay,  an  old  man 
Knoweth  his  strength. 

Chorus 

Care  the  fisherman  lays  his  net  wide 
Where  the  water  hisses  and  spurts  with  the 

tide. 
Man  in  that  sea,  haggard-eyed, 
Recketh  not  how  the  mesh  edgeth  him  in, 
Creepeth,  clingeth  about  his  side. 
And  the  flood  brimmeth  up  to  his  chin. 

[The  Priest  holds  up  his  hand 

Priest 
Peace,  for  the  King  will  speak. 

Chorus 
Peace,  let  the  King  speak. 

Minos  (slowly) 

I  did  a  violence  to  God, 
To  Poseidon,  when  swoln  with  heat 
Of  renown  I  wagered  against  him 
Power  for  power,  and  knowledge 
For  knowledge:  man  against  God. 

Poseidon  sent  a  white  bull  from  the  sea 
To  tempt  me.     Now  the  time  was  at  hand 


42  THE   AGONISTS  i 

When  lining  the  shore  we  invoke 

The  Sea-God  and  the  Nymphs  to  bless  our 

increase, 
Offering  sacrifice 
A  yearling    bull,   unblemisht,  white    as   the 

foam, 
Even  as  this  one,  sent  to  tempt  me. 
Now  therefore  came  the  Priests  to  where  I 

sat 
Solemn  in  judgment,  saying 
*'0  King,  Poseidon  needeth  back  the  bull; 
Crown  him  with  laurel  leaves  and  let  him 

die, 
That  smoke  of  him  ascend  and  all  be  well." 

Thus  they,  but  I  whom  Zeus  delights 
To  honour,  shipt  dishonourable  thought 
Of  that  old  Sea-God  lurking  in  the  deeps; 
Hardened  my  heart. 
Sent  them  empty  back  to  their  rites, 
To  fruitless  altars  and  foodless  fires; 
And  kept  the  bull  to  crown  my  herds 
And  be  a  standing  glory — like  a  wreath 
Of  flowers  set  on  a  chapless  skull. 

Poseidon  waiteth  patient  like  the  sea 

That  draws  all  men  to  serve  it  late  or  soon, 

And  calls  me  now  by  terrors  on  my  head, 

Ringing  words  hounded  about  the  sky, 

"Woe  upon  woe,  till  the  bull's  blood 

Be  out."     The  bull's  blood!     God  is  wrath, 

And  ye  have  paid  in  blood  and  tears 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       43 

What  only  I  should  pay.     If  I,  being  King, 

Sinned  as  a  King,  so  kinglike  I  say 

I  am  King  enough  to  be  ashamed  of  shame. 

Let  Daedalus  win  out 

This    white    bull    from    the    hold    his    wit 

devised; 
Bring  him  out,  set  a  wreath  upon  his  neck, 
Gild  him  the  horns  and  slay  him,  that  the 

blood 
Smoke  over  sea,  and  the  sea  be  fed. 
Let  one  seek  Daedalus. 

A  bystander  goes  into  the  house.  The  Chorus  face 
the  sea,  while  Minos  stands  broodingly. 

Chorus 

The  sea  is  inexorable, 

More  than  all  the  masters  of  men; 

For  the  wind  that  furiously  rideth, 

The  storm's  war  before  which   man    hideth. 

The  Earthquake's  tearing  and  rending 

A  sudden  pit  for  life's  quick  ending — 

What  are  such  deaths  but  a  flash  in  a  pan .? 

Ah,  but  the  patient  sea 

Ripples  innumerably, 

Laugheth  quiet  and  slow 

From  ebb  to  flow; 

Bideth  his  time  till  the  extreme  hour  be  run, 

Then  he  calleth  the  sea-farers  one  by  one. 

While  the  People  chant  this  chorus,  Graulis  and 
Daedalus  come  out  of  the  house  and  kneel  before  King 
Minos. 


44  THE   AGONISTS  i 

Minos 

What  is    this,   GrauHs  ?     Leavest    thou  thy 
mistress  ? 

Graulis 
Lord,  Lord! 

Minos 
How  fares  thy  mistress  and  my  Queen  ? 

Daedalus  (quickly) 

Well,  Sir. 

She  was  tired,  but  sleepeth  now. 

Minos  (to  Grauhs) 

Speak  thou.     What  seek  thine  eyes  .? 
Look  upon  me. 

Graulis 

Sir,  thy  glance  troubles  me.     Thou  art  high, 
And  I  am  lowly,  a  slave. 

Minos 

Thou  art  shorn,  woman.     Thou  mournest — 
whom  ? 

Graulis 
Nay,  'twas  a  fever  I  had.     Thus  they  rid  it. 


r  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       45 

Minos 

What  smoke  of  sacrifice  went  up 

As  I  rode  hither  ?     'Twas  dense  in  the  air. 

Graulis 
They  burn  sea-wrack  at  the  water*s  edge. 

Minos 

What  waih'ng  heard  I  of  women  ,? 
What  cries  to  Heaven  ? 

Graulis 

Sea-birds'  cries,  clamorous 
About  the  harvested  sea. 

[A  pause.     Minos  reflects. 

Minos 

I  would  that  I  saw  thy  mistress. 
Lieth  she  still  abed  ? 

Graulis 
Still,  my  lord,  very  still. 

Minos 

Stirred  she  not  when  the  heralds 
Shrilled  me  upon  the  walls  f 


46  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Graulis 
So  deep  she  was,  she  stirred  not. 

Minos 

Let  her  wake  now. 

[Graulis  is  silent. 

Answerest  thou  not  ?     Why  earnest  thou  ? 

Graulis 

Sir,  I  know  not — Oh,  Sir — 
Oh,  Great  King 

Minos 
What  then  ? 

Graulis 

I  may  not  waken  her. 

Minos 

Thou   art  not  yet   so   old   that  death   were 

sweet; 
Nor  will  it  serve  the  Queen 
That  thou  die,  and  I  waken  her. 
Do  thou  my  bidding.     Hence! 

Graulis  goes  out  with  bowed  head.      Minos  turns 
to  Daedalus. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       47 

Athenian,  servant  of  my  will, 
Heed  thou  me. 

[The  agitation  of  the  People  grows. 

The  Goddess  spake  above  the  altar  flame, 
Murmurously   through   the   thick   smoke   of 

the  fire, 
"Woe,"  said  she,  "upon  woe. 
Woe    upon    woe    till    the    bull's    blood    be 

out." 
I  take  the  sin  upon  me,  since  I  have  sinned. 

[The  People  mark  Daedalus'  confusion  and  silence. 

Daedalus 
The  Bull's  Blood! 

[He  stands  aghast. 
Here  is  no  sin  of  thine. 

Herein  is  Fate. 

[The  agitation  of  the  People  breaks  out. 

Chorus 

Ah,  would  that  some  green  brake 
Of  fern  and  leafy  tree 
Hid  up  and  sheltered  me! 

Minos 

Ay,  but  the  sin  was  mine! 
Poseidon  calls  for  the  bull. 
The  white  bull  from  the  sea. 

[Daedalus  says  nothing. 


48  THE   AGONISTS  i 

Now  if  I  slay  him  and  pour  back  his  blood, 
Shall  not  the  curse  be  out  ? 

[Daedalus  says  nothing. 
Speak  thou!     Shall  it  not  be  out? 

Daedalus 
Not  so,  Minos,  not  so. 

Minos 
Not  so  ? 

Chorus 

O  that  some  warm  sweet  wave 
New  freshening  from  the  sea 
Might  wash  and  quicken  me! 

Daedalus 

That  white  bull  which  my  wit. 
Quickened  by  thy  decree, 
Kept  from  the  sea,  his  master 
In  secret  hold,  hath  begot 
Offspring  terrible,  strange. 
Not  out  is  the  blood   by  the  death  of  the 
Sire. 

Minos  gazes  at  Daedalus,  and  in  a  dead  silence 
questions  him. 

Minos 
Where  is  the  young  of  him,  Daedalus  ? 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       49 

Chorus  (slow  and  urgent) 

O  wave,  O  breath  of  the  wind, 
O  ye  hills  calm  and  free, 
Make  me  strong,  nourish  me! 

Minos 
Where  is  the  young  of  him,  Daedalus  ? 

Daedalus 

Safe,  while  ye  feed  him  on  Cretan  lives. 
The  Labyrinth  holds  him  fast. 

Minos  (aloud) 

Minotaur!     (Pause.)      And  the  Dam  .? 
Speak! 

[Dead  silence. 

Daedalus 

The  dam  died — of  late. 

[Minos  ponders  him  terribly. 

Chorus  (low  and  urgently) 

O  plumed  Night,  O  Death, 

Cover  me  silently. 

Hide  me,  encompass  me! 


50  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Minos 

Dark  are  thy  words,  but  more  dark 
The  thoughts  that  throng  me,  and  press 
My  pulses  to  wild  surmise. 

[He  stops  there,  then  asks  suddenly. 

What  of  the  Queen  ?     Where  is  she  ? 

Daedalus 

The  Queen  is  dead.     She  is  dead. 
Ask  me  no  more. 

[Minos  draws  back  and  looks  terribly  about  him. 

Chorus  (in  terror) 

Clamour  is  round  me  of  sin  not  to  be  named, 

Hissed  from  shooting  and  hidden  lips; 

Hints,  intervals  of  doubt. 

Wailing,  unrest! 

But  silence  is  worst  of  all — 

When  the  dread  powers  of  the  dark 

Gather,  crowd  and  pass  over 

Like  birds  in  a  winter  night! 

Minos  starts  forward  and  clutches  Daedalus  by  the 
throat. 

Minos 

Dog,  here  is  work  of  thine! 

That  which  thou  didst  for  Son,  didst  thou 

for  Sire. 
And  the  dam,  Daedalus! 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       51 

Minos  holds  Daedalus  shaking  by  the  throat,  and 
speaks  to  him  fiercely,  while  the  People  wail  and  toss 
their  arms. 

Chorus 

The  seed  of  man  was  sown 
In  the  broad  lap  of  the  Earth: 
So  she  conceived  and  gave  birth. 

Minos 

Pasiphae  is  dead.     And  thou, 
Shalt  thou  live,  Daedalus  ? 

Chorus 

Earth  was  he,  body  and  bone, 

Of  Earth's  blind  ways,  her  delight. 

Clinging  to  sight. 

Minos 

What  shall  be  done  to  such — 
A  trafficker  in  women,  Daedalus  ? 

Chorus 

But  his  blood  and  his  breath 

Were  wilder  than  aught  that  dwelleth  in  clay. 

Liquor  of  God  were  they. 

Minos 

Thou  that  didst  cage  the  bull  to  serve  her. 
Shall  his  seed  not  fatten  on  thee  .? 


52  THE   AGONISTS 

Chorus 

Fire-fraught  was  his  blood, 
Hiding  a  fire,  seeking  more  fire 
For  food  of  its  whole  desire. 

And  the  tide  of  his  blood 

Surged  against  the  walls  of  his  veins. 

Maddened  his  reins! 

That  most  fatally  dowered, 
Prometheus,  of  all  men's  seed. 
Lifted  up  restless  eyes 
From  our  most  gentle  earth. 
And  sought  the  glint  of  the  skies, 
And  stole  immortal  fire, 
To  our  immortal  woe. 

For  that  keen  flame  of  Heaven, 

Swifter  than  glancing  light 

Or  leap  of  sound,  than  the  air 

More  subtle,  than  day  more  bright — 

Thought!  which  to  God  is  given 

Creative,  is  our  despair. 

And  a  weight  we  cannot  bear. 

It  flickereth  in  the  brain, 
It  throbbeth  in  the  heart; 
Before  its  flashing  our  eyes 
Dazzle;  we  reel  and  go 
Whither  our  hot  thought  flies, 


I         MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       53 

Up  to  the  deathless  Gods — 
O  Fools,  it  is  vain! 

Man  is  a  cage  of  pain, 
His  thought  is  a  pure  thin  fire 
That  beateth  against  the  locks 
And  bonds  of  his  grosser  part, 
Astrain  for  the  sky.     And  behold! 
The  flame  roareth  and  rendeth. 
And  the  war  nor  stayeth  nor  endeth. 

Then  at  last  when  the  bars 

Of  the  body,  shattered  and  torn, 

Rend  asunder,  the  flame 

Winneth  the  bitter  stars. 

And  man  lieth  prone  in  shame: 

Better  not  to  be  born! 

Minos  has  released  Daedalus,  and  stands  in  deep 
thought.  The  Huntsman  now  advances  and  confronts 
the  King.     The  People  remark  him. 

Who      moves  ?      Who      presses      forward  ? 

Watch  that  man. 
What  needest  thou 
In  the  King's  Gate  .? 
What  seekest  thou 
With  thy  sunken  eyes  ,? 
Hast  thou  a  vow .? 
Is  it  love  or  hate 
Draweth  thee  on. 
Purposeful, 


54  THE  AGONISTS 

To  the  strong  tower 
Of  the  Sons  of  the  Bull  ? 


Huntsman 
Minos,  thou  wise  King,  heed  me. 

Minos 
Who  art  thou  ? 

Huntsman 
Grief  that  cries  solace. 

Minos 
Cry  not  in  vain. 

Huntsman 
Justice  thou  art.     Do  justice  then. 

Minos 
Rehearse  thy  plaint.     Who  art  thou  ? 

Huntsman 

One  set  apart 

To  one  fixed  work. 

Blood  calls  to  me  for  blood. 


I 

I 

I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       55 

Minos 

A    blood-price  ?     For    what    blood  ?     How 
shed  ? 

Huntsman 

A  virgin  shed  her  own  bright  blood. 

Minos 

By  her  own  act  slain  ? 

What  blood  for  blood  self-shed  hast  thou  ? 

Huntsman 
His  that  made  death  her  need. 

Minos 
Who  wagers  her  his  life  ? 

Huntsman 
I  wager. 

Minos 
And  if  thou  diest  ? 

Huntsman 

I  stand  for  the  right.     I  die  not. 
Artemis  points  my  blade. 

Minos  steadfastly  regards  him  without  speaking. 
Presently  he  changes  the  theme. 


56  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Minos 
Not  every  huntsman  pleaseth  Artemis. 

Huntsman 

True.     He  that  hunted  down  the  maid  to 

death 
Pleaseth  not  her. 

Minos 

Palterest  thou .? 
What  is  thy  lot  in  this .? 

Huntsman 
My  sister  was  the  maid. 

Minos 
Speak  plainer,  who  this  was. 

Huntsman 
Her  blood  was  Britomart's. 

The  King  starts  back,  and  his  eye*  at  first  meet  the 
Huntsman's,  then  quail.     The  People  observe  it. 

Chorus 

The  King  shrinketh,  the  man  scorches  him 

down! 
As  fire  eateth  a  beam. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       S7 

So  advanceth  the  gleam 

Of  his  hot-set  eyes! 

Mark  Daedalus.     What  is  this  thing 

Come  to  confront  the  King  ? 

Minos  speaks  as  if  unconscious  of  his  whereabouts, 
as  a  sleeper  to  a  shape  in  his  dream. 

Minos 
I  know  thee  not. 

[The  other  leaps  forward,  transfigured  with  rage. 

Huntsman 

Man,  thou  knew'st  Britomart! 
Judgment,  thou  Son  of  Zeus, 
Son  of  the  Bull !  let  thy  blood 
Wager  against  my  blood! 

The  People  are  amazed.     The  Priest  tries  to  move 
them. 

Priest 

Blasphemous,  highland  dog! 
Shall  my  ears  not  bleed  ^. 

Huntsman 

Let  the  King  speak. 

[But  the  King  is  not  ready. 

Chorus 

As  elms  in  autumn  show  a  hint  of  fire 
Ere  all  their  goodly  green  is  set  in  blaze, 


58  THE   AGONISTS 

And  give  to  flame  their  topmost  boughs, 
So  is  our  good  lord's  kingly  calm 
Ploughed  by  contorted  pain 
That  shudders  over  him  and  dies  again 
Under  his  sovran  will. 


But  this  dark  tale  of  violence  done 

To  Dictynna's  consecrate  one! 

This  wild  old  tale  of  passion 

Shaking  the  seat  of  the  soul's  possession! 

How  shall  I  hear  it  and  stand 

Armed  to  defend  the  Cretan  land 

In  the  old  fearless  fashion  ? 

The   Priest  reasons   with  the   People,   and  then 
exhorts  Minos. 

Priest 

His  sudden  frenzy  marks  him  out  possessed: 

How  else  dare  such  contempt?     Oh,  turn. 

Turn,  Lord!     Smite  on  the  hip 

This  dog  that  snarls  at  honour!     Strike 

This  blasphemer!     Up,  Minos! 

Son  of  Zeus,  stand  up! 


Chorus 

It  is  well  said,  it  is  well  said. 
Is  Minos  a  King  for  nought  ? 

[Minos  stands  forward,  now  again  master  of  himself. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       59 

Fast  for  ever,  chosen  of  Zeus! 
Son  of  the  Bull,  fast  for  ever! 
Lord  of  Crete  and  the  Islands,  Son  of  the 
Bull! 

What,  are  my  eyes  so  dim, 

Is  their  light  gone  out  ? 

Is  a  God  come,  dreadful  .  .  .  ? 

[The  People  falter  and  stay,  as  Minos  begins  to  speak. 

Minos 

Neither  denying,  nor  grudging 

Thy  full  requital  of  blood; 

Excusing  not,  nor  accusing; 

Making  no  haste  to  slay, 

Neither  to  save  thee,  I  give  thee 

All  thy  desire.     Take  up  now 

In  battle  thy  blood-feud.     Not  vain 

My  Kingship,  nor  yet  in  vain 

The  lineage  of  Zeus,  and  my  lineage 

Shining  within  my  Son. 

Behold,  I  wager  my  Son, 

Androgeos. 

The  People  murmur.     Daedalus  starts  and  looks 
at  Minos. 

Huntsman 

I  am  content. 
Yet  if  thy  son  fight 
This  battle  of  thine,  he  dies — 


6o  THE   AGONISTS 

And  the  Bull's  Blood  be  out. 
As  it  was  foretold. 


Chorus 

The  Bull's  Blood!    O  thou  fool! 
Knowest  thou  thy  saying  ?     O  fool ! 


Daedalus 

Let  not  my  Lord  say  so,  let  him  heed. 
Androgeos  hath  no  charm'd  hfe. 


Minos 

Daedalus,  tempt  me  not  further. 
Seeing  thou  diest. 

Daedalus 

Let  me  die 
Speedily,  that  I  see  not 
That  which  must  come  to  pass. 
Dying,  I  pray  the  King 
Wager  not  here  his  son. 

Minos 
How  not .'' 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       6i 

Daedalus 

Lest  the  Oracle 
Be  sooth,  and  his  son  win 
A  wreath  of  blood,  and  himself 
A  crown  of  pain. 

[Minos  stands  in  doubt,  seeing  the  man's  eagerness. 

Chorus 

The  whole  is  not  yet  told — 

The  King  draweth  his  breath 

With  labour  between  his  teeth; 

But  the  slave  is  bold,  the  Avenger  bold. 

Minos   comes   down   from   his   throne   and   takes 
Daedalus  apart. 

Minos 

Thou  hast  a  darker  message. 
Not  yet  told.     Now  tell  it. 

Daedalus 

It  is  revealed,  a  wrong 

Was  done  to  this  man's  kindred. 


Minos 

Fever,  belike,  in  the  blood, 
Unsubjugate,  might  sting 
Desire. 


62  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Daedalus 

Ah,  desire!     Wild  heat 
In  the  blood.     Heed  the  Oracle. 

Minos 

The  Bull's  Blood!    What  is  this  ? 
Speak,  be  swift. 

Daedalus 

O  King, 
The  bulhsh  blood  is  not  out, 
Nor  a  bull  from  the  sea  redeems  us.     There 

needs 
A  cut  more  deep.     Earth  shall  age 
Or  e'er  th'  intolerable  load 
Of  the  flesh  be  cast.     Ours  the  blood 
Wherewith  we  drug  us  the  spirit. 
Clog  up  with  lime  his  wings. 
Daub  him  the  eyes.     O  vile, 
Servitude  base,  to  achieve 
Lust,  and  devise  new  lust! 
How  shall  it  cease  till  we  cease  ^ 

Minos 

Thou  bold  in  words. 
Thou  spinner  of  webs. 

How    shalt    thou    mesh    me  ?     What   bull's 
blood 


MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE        63 

Have  I,  save  the  strain 
Immortal  of  Zeus, 
That  made  glorious  my  mother 
And  made  Crete  glorious  ? 
Am  I  not  Son  of  the  Bull  ? 


Daedalus  (fiercely) 

Thou  knowest,  thou  sayest. 

What  Bull's  Blood  is  there  but  thine  ? 

The  Goddess  foretold  it. 

[Minos  reels,  then  strikes  down  Daedalus. 


Minos 

I  have  the  power  to  slay  thee  where  thou 

liest. 
Anger  me  not,  lest  I  stretch 
My  hand  out,  and  death  come  down. 

Daedalus 

Death  and  I,  wrestlers,  stand 

At  grips,  and  I  read  his  eyes 

In  the  hush  of  pause.     Listen,  I  read 

Thy  fate,  O  Minos,  in  them. 

Priest 

Read  thou  thine  own,  and  shift 
A  way  from  thy  trap,  Daedalus. 


64  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Daedalus 

To  no  man  is  it  given  to  read  his  fate 
Lest,  aping  God,  he  strain  law's  majesty 
Which  may  not  set  back  Doom  once  fixt. 
But  at  death's  point  he  does  foreclose 
A    partnership,    and    shares    Death's    great 

design 
Ere  yet  accepted. 

Fate,  Hke  a  sea, 
Rises  and  falls,  the  same 
In  difference,  immutable.     Is  there  a  man 
Whose  veins  the  ichor  of  God 
May  bear,  and  not  madden,  and  die 
Frenzy-bit  ?     Or  can  a  man 
Stand  undazzled  such  light 
As  rayeth  streaming  from  God  } 
Can  a  man,  being  God,  bear  with  men — 
Having  God's  mast'ry,  his  haste. 
Dreadful  splendour  ashake  on  his  front — 
His  motions,  his  white  light, 
Unageing  youth  in  old  flesh 
Weary  of  sin  ?     O  never 
Hope  that  consummation,  Minos! 
Be  man,  be  God — but  not  both. 
That  is  denied  thee. 

[He  half  rises  up,  strengthened  by  his  gospel. 

Nay,  thou  unhappy,  thou  God  encaged, 
Thou  wretched  mortal  maddened  by  God 
If  thou  art  God  enough  for  our  ruin, 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       65 

Enough  of  man  to  clog  thy  forehead   with 

shame, 
How  shall  the  God  in  thy  seed 
Battle  thy  sin  for  thee,  man  ? 

[He  looks  about  him  despairingly,  then  sinks  down. 

It  shall  not  be.     Thou  saidst  well, 
Goddess.     Woe  upon  woe 
Till  the  Bull's  Blood  be  out — 
His,  this  God  among  men  and  man  among 
Gods. 

[He  points  the  last  words  at  King  Minos. 


Chorus  (horror-struck) 

Gods,  Guardians  of  the  earth! 

And  ye,  O  nameless  Ladies  of  Dread! 

Let  not  the  head 

Bow  down  to  the  terrible  words  he  said, 

Nor  accept  the  monstrous  rede. 

[They  exclaim  upon  Daedalus. 

O  art  thou  shameless,  wretch  ? 
Hast  thou  no  knee  to  bend, 
Will  thou  slander  thy  friend  .'' 

Minos 

He  slandereth  God  my  father; 
He  condemneth  himself. 


66  THE  AGONISTS 

Yet  I  can  pause 

Before  I  slay  thee.     Tell  now 

Thy  warrant  for  this  thou  utterest. 


Daedalus 

This  is  revealed — it  shall  come  to  pass 
Ere  my  tired  heart  sigheth  free  my  breath, 
Thy  son  shall  seek  him  a  grave 
And  funeral  rites  in  vain. 

[All  are  hushed  in  fear.     Then  the  People  pray. 


Chorus 

Sea,  and  our  Earth! 

O  well-loved  Earth,  do  thou  be  clement, 

And  thou,  O  Sea,  whose  heart  is  Crete, 

Bear  thou  the  young  man  home 

To  his  father's  halls! 

[Minos  has  recovered  himself. 

Minos  (to  Daedalus) 

Thou  hast  o'er-reached — like  a  stoat 

Biting  the  trap-teeth  that  clutch  him. 

My  son  is  King  ^geus'  guest 

In  Athens,  seeking  her  Olive  Crown, 

Sunned  'neath  her  golden  arts. 

For  his  high  head  awaiteth 

No  sharneful  end  in  unconsecrate  death — 


I  MINOS   KING  OF   CRETE       67 

Him  rather  Fame  like  a  mantle 
Binds  to  be  one  with  Honour  and  Us. 

[He  turns  to  the  Huntsman. 

Comfort  thee,  seeker  of  blood-price. 


Huntsman 

Let  blood  be  paid  for  the  price  of  blood. 
I  ask  the  full,  fair  price. 


Chorus 

The  price  of  the  strong!     Minos  is  strong. 
Strong  as  a  tower  his  House! 

Rumour  without.     The  Priest  exclaims,  pointing 
with  his  hand. 


Priest 
Look  yonder!     The  people! 

[All  look.    The  Chorus  voice  the  general  agitation. 

Chorus 

See,  see,  a  moving  crowd, 

A  vext  concourse,  a  multitude 

Spreads  from  the  shore  with  faces  turned 

To  greet  the  flags  of  the  King! 


68  THE  AGONISTS  i 

And  lo,  in  the  hiving  midst, 

One  breathless,  sorely  spent, 

Struggling   with   friends,   on   this   hand,   on 

that, 
Stain'd  with  travel — ^yet  proud  content 
Lighteth  his  brows,  flames  from  his  happy 

eyes — 
News,  Minos,  good  news! 

A  Messenger  enters  with  following.    The  stage  fills. 
He  kneels  to  Minos. 

Messenger 

News,  Minos,  is  mine! 

The  race,  the  race,  the  swift  steeds, 

Glory  of  Phaestos!     The  deeds 

Of  Androgeos!     Wine — I  crave  wine. 

That  I  pour  Hbation  to  all  Patrons  of  Crete! 


Chorus 

O  ministry  of  thy  feet 
Jocund!     O  augury 
Of  great  and  high  Destiny! 
Minos,  the  cup  is  full! 

Minos 

Not  in  vain  didst  thou  rear  the  House  of 

the  Bull, 
Zeus  my  father!     Not  vain 


I         MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       69 

My  quest  of  Helios,  parent  of  light/ 

Lord  of  the  hght  that  shone  in  the  flame  of 

thy  head, 
Pasiphae,  queen  and  wife. 
Mother  of  children,   blest  in   thy  children's 

life! 

[As  he  names  Pasiphae  there  is  a  sudden  hush. 


Chorus 

Pasiphae!  where  is  she? 

Minotaur  ravens — O  King,  have  mercy! 

[The  Priest  intervenes. 

Priest 
Praise  we  the  Gods! 

[Minos  in  ecstasy  of  pride. 

Minos 

The  Gods!     I  am  a  God — 

Son  of  all-seeing  Zeus!     See  to  him,  there — 

Give  him  meat  and  drink — anoint  his  feet 

With  wine  and  oil;  heap  a  shield 

With  golden  treasure;  let  flocks, 

Fatlings  and  firstlings  be  his. 

Let  his  name  be  glorious,  call  him 

'  Father  also  of   Pasiphae 


70  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Augur  of  Minos;  let  his  place  be  set 
High  at  our  table,  who  hailed  our  son 
Olive-crowned,  Victor! 

[He  turns  fiercely  to  Daedalus. 

Ho,  thou 

111  mist,  scowhng  upon  us, 
Darkener  of  days,  thou  boaster! 
Gird,  twist  thy  fork,  scorpion! 
Lo,  the  World-Disposer, 
Disposing  of  thee,  maketh  sport 
Of  thee  and  thy  mumbhngs  there. 

Zeus,  like  a  fresh  wave, 

Brimmeth  the  harbour  bar, 

So  the  dead  water,  stirring, 

Feeleth  his  might  and  swims 

To  th'  extreme  verge,  and  life  springs 

And  motion  where  first  was  scum. 

Too  soon,  Daedalus,  thy  claw 
Put  out,  to  rake  in  the  heart 
Of  Crete!     Ah,  Attic  fox. 
Whose  eyes  shifted  and  turned, 
Devising  snares — now  hide 
In  deeper  maze  thy  disaster. 

Feed  now  the  jaws  thou  wouldst  feed 
With  Crete!     Ha,  be  done  with  him! 
Hale  him  to  Minotaur! 

[They  seize  Daedalus,  and  hold  him. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       71 

Daedalus 

O  Minos,  I  am  ready.     Do  thy  will. 

A  state  of  exaltation  in  Minos  infects  Priest  and 
People. 

Minos 

As  the  judgment  of  Zeus 
Is  my  judgment;  let  none 
Question  or  raise  finger  up — 
Till  he  drink  of  the  cup 
Himself  hath  mixt, 
And  his  doom  be  done. 

Priest 

Ah,  faced  as  a  fox, 
Ah,  heart  of  a  sheep! 
Behold  now  the  fowler 
Caught  in  his  net; 
The  jester's  dry  eyes 
Aching  to  weep. 

Chorus 

The  fall  of  his  pride 

Is  as  Phaeton's. 

He  sailed  far  and  wide. 

His  wings  were  the  sun's. 

But  his  cunning  belied  him. 

His  art  was  denied  him, 

And  his  sand-glass  runs. 


72  THE  AGONISTS 


Daedalus 

As  the  striver  washt  clean 

Of  blood  and  sweat; 

As  the  bridegroom  whose  fret 

Is  o'er,  and  the  bride-chamber  set* 

As  washt  in  CalUrrhoe's  runnel. 

Let  the  Bride  not  delay — ■ 

Even  Kore  the  Queen. 


[Daedalus  is  led  out  by  guards. 


Priest  (as  Daedalus  goes) 

Doth  fear  gripe  thee,  wretch  ? 

Art  thou  Httle  at  ease .? 

Doth  thy  nostril  'gin  twitch, 

Dost  thou  shake  at  the  knees .? 

Lo,  the  King  armed  with  dominion 

Hath  struck.     Zeus  remembers  his  minion. 


Chorus  (more  thoughtful) 

Tho'  I  shudder  his  name, 

Yet  must  I  pity 

The  vials  of  shame 

He  endureth,  whose  city* 

Wears  the  helmet  of  fame. 

[Minos  cries  out  in  triumph. 

•  Athens,  of  course. 


MINOS   KING  OF   CRETE       73 


Minos 

Make  now  a  feast  to  the  Gods,  heap  high 
The  altar-floors!     Now  let  the  priests 
Whet  their  blades,  let  the  victims 
Smoke  on  the  hundred  altars! 
Let  music  shrill — let  the  strings 
Shrill  like  the  wind,  and  thrill 
Our  hearts.     I,  Minos,  make 
Thank-offering  to  the  Graces! 
Ho,  bring  the  blossoming  crown. 
Crown  me  ministrant!     Flute-players, 
Wind  your  high  music  higher, 
Make  keening  melody!     Kindle 
Fire  upon  Ida's  brow! 

A  shadow  falls  over  the  city  and  Minos  falters 
suddenly. 

What  now .?     Why  doth  the  music 
Fade  .?     Who  hideth  the  sun  .? 
Who  cometh  ?     Who  cometh  now  ? 


Chorus 

Who  is  this,  haggard  and  wan  ? 

Who  cometh  with  jaded  and  weary  feet  ? 

A  second  Messenger  stumbles  in,  and  drops  at  the 
feet  of  Minos. 

Who  art  thou,  shadow  of  sorrow  ? 


74  THE   AGONISTS  i 

Second  Messenger 
Minos,  have  mercy,  have  mercy! 

Minos  (still  exalted) 

Mercy    is    mine    to    bestow.     What    is    thy 
need  ? 

Messenger 

My   need    is    thine,    and    this    people's,    and 

hers — 
The  flame-circled  Lady,  Pasiphae,  Child  of 

the  Sun-God. 

As  before,  at  Pasiphae's  name  there  is  a  movement 
in  the  crowd. 

Chorus 

Pasiphae — v^here  is  she  ? 

Lady    of    terror,    and    burning    and    fierce 

meditation. 
Crisping,  uncrisping  her  hands! 

[Minos  is  still  blind  in  his  pride. 
MiNOS 

Stress  and  anguish  are  gone.    Crete  is  great. 
Free,  favoured  of  Heaven,  proud 
Of  my  son ! 


I  MINOS   KING  OF   CRETE       75 

Messenger 
Woe  for  her  burden!     Woe  too  for  me! 

He  looks  about  him  at  the  people  with  flowers  in 
their  hands,  brought  for  the  thanksgiving. 

What  feast  do  ye  celebrate  here  ? 

Chorus 

New   praise    for    Crete,    the    Crown    of  the 
Water! 

Priest 

A  new  crown  for  the  fruit  of  the  Sun-God's 
daughter! 

Minos 

A  new  wreath  for  the  brows  of  the  Son  of 
the  Bull! 

The  second   Messenger   takes   up  authority — his 
message  making  him  great. 

Messenger 

Cast  down   your   garlands,    put   away  your 

lutes. 
Your  reed-pipes  and  your  crowns. 
Take  dust  to  crown  yourselves,  shred  off 
Your  tresses,  women;  and,  ye  maids, 
Let  loose  your  coifed  hair. 


76  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Not  for  love  do  it,  nor  a  bridal, 
Save  Death  be  bridegroom.     Lo! 
Ready  is  Death,  sitting  hereby  in  the  gate, 
Sightless  his  eyes,  fast  in  hand  the  dish 
Seeking  an  obol,  seeking  his  toll. 
Give    him    his    tribute,    Minos,    and    you, 
Crete ! 

Chorus  (murmuring) 
Oh,  oh,  what  is  this  that  he  saith .? 

Minos 

Hush    there,    and    cease    your    murmuring. 
Speak, 

Chorus 

O  King,  O  Daedalus  forsook! 
O  Queen  of  the  fierce  blood ! 

Minos 

Who  speaks  of  them .?     The  dead  are  dead. 
Daedalus  is  dead. 

[He  turns  to  the  Messenger. 

Rumour  of  thee 
Ran  on  before  thy  breath  could  frame  it. 
Empty,  therefore,  thy  phial  of  woe. 
That  we  may  drink  it,  and  live 
Like  men  thereafter. 


MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       77 


Messenger 

Sir,  the  Athenians 
Murmured  against  thy  son, 
And  at  his  triumphs  murmured.     Then 
When  he,  begarlanded  and  anointed. 
Drove  home  from  broad  Eleusis 
His  conquering  team,  a  throng 
Of  youth,  their  treacherous  eyes 
Guarded  by  Hnen  bands, 
Sprang  from  a  thicket,  and  set 
On  his  company,  three  to  a  score^. 
Critas  they  slew,  Menocles 
With    stones,    and    Androgeos,    the    young 

man 
Thy  son — him  they  slew  and  ravaged.    Then 

tied 
His  feet,  thy  son's  feet,  to  the  car. 
And  hued  the  horses  and  cried;    and  they, 

mad 
With  fear,  went  headlong  in  gallop 
The  dust  of  the  track;  and  by  terror 
Made  frantic,  leapt  the  rock  rampart, 
And  fell- 
Horses,  and  car,  and  hero. 
To  their  end  in  one  red  grave. 
Now  let  me  die;  for  no  man 
May  utter  such  things  and  live. 

He  goes  out  through  a  way  made  by  the  people,  who 
fear  him.     Minos  stands  shaking. 


78  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Chorus 

O  Kins,  the  tortured  soul  of  Daedalus 
Rises  and  weeps  to  see  us! 

[Minos  stands  shaking. 

What  said  that  man  tormented  ? 
Spake  he  not  true?     Alas! 

Priest 

The  viperous  Athenian  went 
Deathwards,  foretelling  wretchedness. 

Chorus 

Woe  to  the  father,  woe  to  the  mother! 
Woe  to  the  kindreds  of  the  great  House — 
The  House,  the  House  of  the  Bull! 
Ariadne,  Phaedra,  woe  to  ye! 

Minos  still  shaking,  Graulis  appears  from  the 
house,  sees  the  horror  on  all  faces  and  comes  quickly 
down.     She  peers  at  Minos  who  sees  nothing. 

Graulis 
What  is  it?     What  is  it?     Quickly! 

Chorus 
Knowest  thou  not  ?     'Tis  Androgeos — 


I         MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE        79 

Graulis 
Dead  ? 

Chorus 
Dead.     Tell  thy  mistress — 

Graulis 

She  needeth  no  telling,  nor  heedeth  it. 
She  is  acold,  hugging  herself. 
O  Minos,  Minos,  King  of  wretchedness, 
Hear  me  and  strike  me  down! 

[Minos  pays  no  heed.     The  People  swarm. 

Chorus 
Ha,  Gods,  ye  have  not  ended.     The  Queen — 

Graulis 

Dead,  Cretans,  and  well  dead, 

Seeing  this  stroke  was  hers. 

Her  scheming — and  thy  agonizing,  lord! 

Priest 

The   King  stands   dumb.     What  hast  thou 
more  f 

Graulis 

She  is  dead,  but  her  child  liveth — 


8o  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Priest 
Her  child  ? 

Graulis 

Her  child.     Minotaur. 

The  Chorus  is  shocked  to  silence.     Presently  it 
begins  on  a  hushed  note,  which  grows  in  volume. 

Chorus 

Clamour   is    round    me    of  sin    not    to    be 

named, 
Hissed  from  shooting  and  hidden  lips; 
Hints,  intervals  of  sound, 
Sobbing,  unrest. 
Unrest  is  worst  of  all 
When  the  dread  powers  of  the  dark 
Gather,  scream  and  pass  over 
As  birds  on  a  winter  night. 
Shriller  than  birds  in  a  storm. 
More  vacant,  more  desolately 
Cometh  the  clamour  of  sin  not  to  be  known ! 

[With  wild  hands  uplifted. 

O  haven  of  Dark,  O  plumed  night. 
Fall  on  us,  blot  our  name  from  the  light! 

And  thou,  Pasiphae! 

O  woman,  wrecked  and  stained. 
Is  there  a  shame  on  earth 


I  MINOS   KING  OF   CRETE       8i 

Thou  hast  not  borne  ?     Or  woe 

Or  old  inveterate  sin 

Older,  more  hard  than  thine  ? 

Now  no  swift  hint  of  love 

And  honourable  things 

Can  flush  thy  shameful  cheek, 

Nor  to  thy  frozen  eyes 

Bring  redemption  of  tears. 

She  is  cut  off  in  sin's  flood-tide.     The  best 
Were  silence,  the  grave,  and  rest! 

Minos  slowly  gathers  his  force  and  confronts  the 
Huntsman. 

Minos 

I  am  now  old,  who  a  little  while 
Ago  was  hardy,  and  full  of  blood. 
Thou,  Stranger,  must  take  thy  battle  up 
With  me — unequal  war. 
For  now  I  have  no  son. 

Huntsman 

The  price  is  paid.     I  ask 
No  more,  nor  asked  so  much. 

The  Huntsman  goes  out  with  bent  head.     !Minos  is 
consumed  with  the  rage  of  despair. 

Minos 

There  is  a  price  to  ask 

Of  Athens,  Gods!     I  am  King 

Of  Crete,  Minos,  the  Bull's  Son. 


82  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Take  you  a  torch,  dip  it  in  fire. 

One  lights  a  torch.     Minos  goes  up  on  the  sea-wall 
and  holds  the  brand  out  over  the  sea. 

Hear  now,  ye  Cretans!     Ye  men, 
And  young  men,  soon  to  be  Cretans, 
Ye  women,  mothers,  and  all  ye  virgins 
Who  look  to  bear  Cretans!     Hear  all. 

By  the  blood  of  my  father, 
Zeus,  by  the  altars,  the  hearth 
Where  his  shade  dwells;  by  Crete, 
By  her  hold  of  th'  inviolate  sea, 
Athens  shall  smoke  in  blood-fray; 
Wailing  shall  fill  her  streets, 
But  no  live  thing.     A  voice 
Shall  she  be,  a  wounded  voice. 

Yea,  like  a  woman  tortured. 

Blind  and  mad,  she  shall  kill 

Her  children,  and  smile  at  stabbing, 

Then  wake,  beat  her  breast,  loathe  herself. 

But  still  with  wet,  cruel  hands, 
All  that  she  holdeth  dear 
She  shall  slaughter  with  craft  malign, 
Till  not  one  remaineth,  but  she — 
Moaning,  writhing  her  limbs. 

I  make  war 

Henceforth  on  Athens,  that  year 
By  bitter  year  she  shall  waste 
Her  flowers  to  feed  my  hate. 


I  MINOS   KING  OF  CRETE       83 

By  black  sails  borne  they  shall  come, 

In  keels  bodeful  and  black; 

And  Minotaur  feed,  so  he 

May  prosper  in  gluttony, 

And  we  feed  with  him  our  hate. 

This  is  the  doom  of  Minos, 

Son  of  Zeus,  testified 

By  this  torch,  and  the  fire  of  it, 

Unquenched  while  Athens  stands  up. 

He  stands,  the  torch  shaking  in  his  hand  while  the 
People  pray. 

Chorus 

Grant,  Gods,  this  doom  bear  not 
Some  fatal,  double  sense, 
And  so  our  wreck  come  thence 
Where  we  had  looked  to  win 
A  crown.     Alas!  man  crowned 
Remaineth  man,  his  doom 
Recoileth  often  to  spring 
Back  to  the  doomsman,  and  he 
That  judgeth  is  convict  found! 

Who  is  so  wise  to  know  himself,  to  say 

To  his  soul.  Thus  far  'tis  safe  for  thee,  seek  not 

Beyond  thy  little  hedged  ground  .? 

Who  knoweth  himself  bound, 

Or  knowing  it,  accepteth  the  decree 

Which,  when  it  set  man  free 


84  THE  AGONISTS  i 

Of  all  else,  fixed  him  slave  of  his  own  whim, 
Tyrant    whose    subjects    soon    outmastered 

him  ? 
Such  wisdom  standeth  not  with  the  force  we 

have: 
He  only  that  beareth  the  brunt  of  himself  is 

brave. 


II 

ARIADNE  IN   NAXOS 


THE  ARGUMENT 

The  hero  Theseus,  having  (with  the  help  of  Ariadne, 
daughter  of  Minos)  slain  Minotaur  and  so  freed  Athens 
from  the  yearly  tribute  exacted  by  Crete,  sails  thence 
for  his  own  city,  taking  that  same  Ariadne  with  him  for 
his  bride.  He  had  promised  King  ^geus  his  father  that 
he  would  send  a  ship  before  him,  with  a  white  sail,  if 
he  should  have  been  fortunate,  instead  of  the  black  sail 
with  which  the  tribute  vessel  commonly  returned. 
That,  however,  he  forgot  to  do ;  so  that  the  ship  came 
in  bearing  the  ensign  of  misfortune.  On  his  home- 
ward voyage  Theseus  stays  at  Naxos,  an  island  of 
Magic.     The  God  Dionysus  speaks  the  prologue. 


PERSONS 


A  Maenad. 

Dionysus. 

Chorus  of  Cretan  Maids. 

Theseus. 

Ariadne. 

An  Athenian  Sailor. 


The  Scene 

A  sandy  bight  in  the  shore  of  the  island  of  Naxos, 
with  the  sea  at  the  back.  On  the  right  is  a  grove  of 
plane-trees,  in  which  a  stone  altar.  On  the  left  are 
rocks  and  profuse  vegetation.  The  season  is  the 
Spring.  Flowers  abound  almost  to  the  water's  edge 
and  are  to  be  seen  starry  beneath  the  plane-trees.  The 
sky  is  flawless  blue,  and  the  pathway  of  the  sun 
glitters  on  the  sea. 


ARIADNE   IN   NAXOS 

At  the  opening  of  the  scene  the  stage  is  empty,  and 
so  remains  for  a  while.  Then  there  is  a  flash  of 
lightning  out  of  the  clear  sky,  and  immediately  a 
thunder-clap,  which,  after,  rolls  among  the  unseen  hills. 
Three  figures  are  now  before  the  scene,  as  if  proceed- 
ing from  the  altar-grove  to  a  thicket  on  the  left.  The 
first  is  a  Maenad  in  short,  looped-up  tunic,  and  with 
streaming  hair.  Her  head  is  thrown  back.  She  carries 
a  thyrsus  in  one  hand,  a  dead  kid  in  the  other.  The 
central  figure  is  Dionysus,  crowned  with  ivy,  wearing 
his  leopard-skin.  He  has  the  semblance  of  a  smooth- 
faced, ruddy  young  man  of  great  stature.  Behind  him 
is  a  Faun,  naked  to  the  waist,  goat-legged  and  footed. 
He  has  a  pan-pipe  in  his  hand. 


The  Maenad 

Bacchus  is  lord  of  the  length  and  breadth  of 

the  earth, 
Red  as  wine,  brighter  than  honey,  ruthless 

as  rain, 
lo!     Zagreus!     Regent  of  storm  and  pain! 

[She  stands  rigid,  as  in  ecstasy. 


90  THE  AGONISTS 


Dionysus 

From  my  still  haunts  of  brooding  and  dreams, 
In  mortal  cerements,  I  come  forth 
To  light  on  men,  and  shed  over  earth 
With  sleepy  spell  my  will  inscrutable, 
To  this  my  island,  fear-haunted, 
Where  priests  with  pious  hands  and  orgy 
Call  up  the  dance  through  wintry  nights 
And  shake  the  dawn  with  fire  more  fierce 

than  the  sun's. 
Fire  in  the  heart!     Here  as  a  mist 
Desire-laden,  sick  with  torments 
For  unused  folk,  I  lie  in  wait 
Glamour  to  cast  through  all  quiet  ways. 
Through     tangle    of    briar,     thro'     drencht 

herbage, 
On  sundew  thick,  on  restless  floods, 
On  scarred  mountain-flanks,  on  the  crannies 

in  them. 
Peering  for  me  like  eyes. 


O'er  the  mad  earth  then,  through  leagues  of 

air, 
I   pass   to  men's  dwellings   and   steep  their 

blood 
With  hinted  joy  and  bliss  surmised. 
Seasonal  raptures,  such  wild  love 
As  only  in  dreams  men  know  with  women. 
So  like  the  beasts,  filled  with  me, 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  91 

Headlong  speeding,  frenzy-gathered, 
Mouthing  they  fall,  torn  by  their  longing. 
Indiscriminate,  prone,  possest; 
And  my  hot  breath  blows  and  passes, 
Blows    over    and    passes,    and    leaves    them 
swooning. 

For  not  as  the  high  Gods, 

Not  as  the  great  Twelve 

On  hoar  Olympus  throned  and  pure, 

Am  I  whose  dam,  the  pale  wife, 

Semele,  casting  mortal  love 

On  her  fruited  womb,  cast  human  tinge 

On  me  her  fruit,  with  grief  acquainted. 

Grief  of  a  God,  past  human  thoug'jt, 

Is  mine,  and  Desire,  desire  of  a  man 

Shared  with  that  earth  whereof  she  was — 

Bound  thereby  to  desire  and  pain. 

I  am  the  Earth,  its  longing,  its  torment, 

Flood  of  the  spring,  summer  drouth, 

Fall's  foreboding,  dearth  of  winter: 

These  am  I.     Lo!  and  I  move 

Swift  in  the  blood;  for  in  my  dreams 

Virgins  unsex,  men  in  stress. 

Huddling  as  herds,  run  to  their  woe, 

Till  passion  dies,  and  they  reach  the  end  of 

desire. 
Boundless  oblivion,  dreamless  sleep. 
So  I  watch,  croucht  like  a  beast. 
At  this  first  shrilling  call  of  the  year 
To  utter  myself,  and  to  be. 


92  THE  AGONISTS 


II 


Not  long — for  Theseus,  the  great  captain. 
In  triumph  turning  from  perils  past — 
From  Minotaur  sent  shaggy  with  blood 
With  his  dead  to  mingle — homing  to  Athens, 
Wedded  with  her,  the  fast-girdled 
Soft  Ariadne,  loving  and  loved, 
Calleth  here:  whom  now  I  await 
In  trembling  thicket,  with  eyes  agleam, 
To  bend  her  body  to  work  my  will; 
Drive  my  desire  to  burn  in  her  blood, 
Make  of  her  heart  my  love's  wild  garden. 
Press  on,  press  on,  abide  we  the  hour! 

He  bends  his  head  to  his  breast  and  points  forward 
with  his  rod.  Tlie  procession  streams  on  and  dis- 
appears. The  Chorus  presently  come  in  through  the 
altar-grove:  young  girls  in  Cretan  garb.  They  sing 
the  Parabasis,  turning  their  faces  as  they  move  round 
about  to  where  they  look  for  Theseus  to  come. 

Chorus 

Not  upon  us,  Athenian,  not  upon  us 
Despair  sits  darkhng,  nor  sweet  Hope 
From  us  hath  folded  her  away 
While  now  the  Morning,  golden-zoned, 
Streams  thro'  the  gateways  of  the  east. 
This  is  the  holy  hour,  it  hath 
Cooling  influence  of  dew. 
Gentle  airs,  remembered  sleep, 
Promise  of  day  renewed ! 

Theseus  appears,  and  stands  at  the  edge  of  the  grove, 
leaning  upon  his  spear.  They  lift  up  their  hands, 
hailing  him. 


n  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  93 

Great  deeds  have  I  seen, 

Glory  hath  blinded  me 

Till  I  know  not  Crete,  nor  bewail 

The  light  of  my  father's  house. 

Nor  the  pleasant  pastures  of  Ida. 

Behold,  they  are  past  as  a  bird's  cry  in  the 

'night. 
Suddenly!     Yet  I  look  up 
Trustful,  as  women  trust  in  the  eyes  of  a  man. 

When  for  the  sword  and  the  battle 
The  murderous  beast's  ire 
Availed  him  not;  when  he  fell — 
Minotaur! — and  the  shout 
Rang  thro'  the  streets,  "We  are  free! 
Crete  is  free!"     Then  I  knew 
A  man  was  come:  and  I  saw  him, 
Theseus,   tamer  of  men,   crowned   with   his 
deed! 

Ariadne,  the  fair-browed  maid. 
Wealth  and  pleasure  of  Crete, 
Saw  him,  how  goodly  and  wise; 
Kneeled,  set  his  foot  on  her  neck, 
Master  and  lord  of  her  life. 
Bowed  her,  yielded;  and  I — 
I  too — fell  where  she  fell, 
Claspt  his  knees  where  she  claspt. 
Past  with  her  to  the  ship; 
Stood  looking  steadfast  upon  him  launcht  on 
the  deep! 


94  THE  AGONISTS  n 

For  the  Gods,  splendid  on  thrones, 
The  far-seeing  Gods  are  his  friends: 
Zeus,  Poseidon  the  Girdler, 
Wise  Demeter — they  stayed  him, 
Upheld,  threatening  the  sea. 
Grey-eyed  Pallas,  the  War-Maid, 
Artemis  shrill  as  the  wind, 
Phoebus  the  death-dealer, 
Yea,  all  the  deathless,  the  Twelve 
Smiled  his  going  forth  his  fortunate  way. 

Shall  I  not  serve,  being  glad. 
Unmindful,  Dicte,  of  thee; 
Forgetting  the  breathings  of  Ida 
Whose  cypresses  hush  down  the  voice  ? 
Shall   I   remember   the   Sisters   whiter   than 

snow 
Where  Cydonia  shoulders  the  sea  ? 
Nay,  but  the  pastures  of  Crete  and  upland 

places 
Are  still,  hid  in  death  and  the  dark; 
And  I  choose  for  the  light  thou  bearest,  tamer 

of  men! 

[They  stand  all  about  Theseus,  adoring. 

Theseus 

Daughters  of  Minos,  pluckt  from  Crete, 
Chaplet  for  Athens,  or  a  wreath 
For  her  smooth  brows!  me  now  so  near 
My  crown  the  Gods  have  furthered. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS 


95 


And  Athens,  not  remote 

Nor  slow  to  welcome,  ere  two  suns, 

Shall  light  your  careful  eyes, 

Wash  pure  your  tear-worn  cheeks 

To  redden;  for  soon  our  sail 

Blown  ripe  to  round  the  peak 

Of  Salamis  shall  strain, 

And  soon  the  banked  oars 

Shall  grip  the  tide,  and  our  hearts 

Inhale  the  generous  air. 

And  our  eyes  the  Violet  Crown. 

Yet  seeing  'twas  willed  in  Heaven 
Out  of  the  calm  a  salient  wind 
With  moaning  music  should  stir 
The  surge  against  our  oars, 
Should  fling  the  prow  of  the  ship 
To  seethe  his  hair  in  the  vast 
Recurring  waves,  and  in  foam 
Sluice  them,  we  fled  before  it 
Hither  to  Naxos,  here  to  stay  us; 
And  hence,  yest'reen. 

When  the  long  roaring  wind  had  swooned 
And  a  light  breeze  ruffled  the  sea, 
Naucritas  sped  I,  Leucippus, 
With  news  of  our  coming,  redeemed, 
To  i^geus.  King  and  Father — 
Father   of  Athens,    father   of   me    and    the 

people. 
Hence  now  we  too  shall  set 
Sail,  and  win  back  our  peace 
Ere  once  more  Helios  faint. 


96  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Chorus  I 
I  reck  not  Crete,  but  to  win  thy  land! 

Chorus  II 
What  land  hath  a  woman  but  her  lord  ? 

Chorus  III 

And  who  is  her  lord  but  he  that  is  strong 
And  masterful,  even  as  thou  art  ? 

Theseus 

Fear  not  at  all 

Cold  welcome,  maidens,  fear  not  at  all. 

Beneficent  the  Gods  we  hallow;  there 
Clemency  reigneth,  and  Justice 
Reigneth,  and  stately  Measure, 
High-ordered  Temperance,  Piety, 
Laborious  Peace!     For  their  ends 
I  took  the  shift;  Pallas  armed  me 
And  strung  me  to  steel  for  the  grim 
Grapple  with  Minotaur, 
Seven  years  a  coil  for  our  necks. 
No  more:  he  is  fallen,  is  fallen! 
Our  days  loom  large,  without  end. 

Chorus 
O  come!    We  delay. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  97 

Theseus 

Nay,  first 
Smooth  Ariadne,  offering 
Milk  and  new-pressed  wine, 
From  Artemis  seeketh  her  pledge — 
From  that  pitiful,  that  benign 
Maid  that  mothereth  babes — 
A  pledge  of  our  love's  sweet  graft, 
Seeing  how  she  is  raised  ^ 

High  above  maids,  as  her  worth 
Challenged  us,  proving  it. 

Chorus 

A  worthy  wife !     Worthy  of  thee ! 
'Twas  thou  felled  Minotaur, 
'Twas  she  gave  thee  the  way. 

Theseus 

The  clew  was  hers  that  did  win  me 
Forth  from  the  miry  ways 
Of  error  writhing  to  err. 
Thickened  with  drip  of  mist, 
Fat  with  the  reek  of  bones 
And  fretting  members  of  men. 
Through  all  the  toils  devised 
By  all-wise  Daedalus — 
Trap  for  his  terror,  trap  for  himself — 
She  brought  me  by  sweet  craft 
And  wit;  wherefore  I  praise  her. 
I  praise  her,  and  crown  her  mine. 


98  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Chorus 

See,  see,  she  cometh. 

O  new-made,  fortunate  wife! 

O  girdle  happily  loosed! 

O  virgin  made  mother,  O  bride! 

Ariadne  comes  gladly  from  the  grove.  She  is 
flushed  and  joyful,  and  comes  to  Theseus  with  worship. 
She  stands  at  first  looking  upon  him,  her  message  in 
her  eyes. 

Theseus 
What  hast  thou  ?     It  is  well  ? 

Ariadne 
Well.     It  is  well  with  me. 

Theseus 
What  hast  thou,  looking  upon  me  ? 

Ariadne 
Loving,  I  look  where  I  love. 

Theseus 

Thou  smilest.     Thy  cheek's  fresh  rose 
Speaketh. 

Ariadne 

Good  augury! 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  99 

Theseus 
What  then  ? 

Ariadne 

My  new  joy! 
My  King's  gift:  for  my  bosom  a  jewel, 
For  my  brows  a  crown;  for  thy  house 
A  son;  honour  for  me. 

[She  lifts  up  her  arms,  glorified.     Theseus  clasps  her. 

Theseus 

Now  praise  all  Gods  for  pride 
Of  life! 

Chorus 

Now  serve  all  Gods! 
Fill  altar-cups,  strew  corn, 
Cast  branches.     Serve  them  so. 

Theseus 

They  look  benignantly 
On  men  who  lust  on  life, 
Who  carve  their  own  fate  out. 

Chorus 

Alas  for  women!     For  they 
Lack  force  for  fate. 


100  THE  AGONISTS  ii 

Theseus 

Look  they 
To  husband's  thews  for  a  sword. 

Chorus 
Nay,  meekness  serves  them,  and  prayer. 

Theseus 
Pray  then.     I  stand  upright. 

[Ariadne,  in  his  arms,  touches  his  chin. 

Ariadne 
Pray  yet  for  thy  son,  O  Theseus. 

[He  laughs  as  he  kisses  her. 

Theseus 

Pray  thou!     My  prayer  is  made 
In  sword-stroke  and  bloody  doing 
Wrought  for  the  land,  to  rid  it 
Of  plague,  clamour,  red  envy, 
Hatred,  malice:  I  serve 
Men,  and  so  serve  God  best. 

Ariadne 

Some  serve  by  wrath,  and  some 
By  love.     Love  is  humbleness 
And  boundless  giving.     And  joy 
Cometh  of  other  joy. 

[She  quits  his  arms. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  loi 

I  go  to  give  thanks  to  God 
For  the  joy  I  carry  in  me. 

Chorus 

0  excellent  in  woman 

To  bend  the  knee,  yet  in  spirit 

To  outsoar  the  falcon,  mate  the  blue 

Starry  dwelling  of  Zeus! 

Theseus 

Go  pay  thy  service,  for  ere  the  sun 
Be  at  high  noon  we  seek  the  ship. 

Ariadne 
Bending  my  knees,  I  am  gone. 

She  goes  into  the  grove.  The  Chorus  grow 
thoughtful.  Some  look  anxiously  about,  some  whisper 
together;  all  keep  within  touch.  So  presently  they 
turn  to  Theseus. 

Chorus 
Thou  prayest  not,  O  hero! 

Theseus 

1  have  prayed  by  stroke  of  sword. 

Chorus 

Yet  a  God,  they  say,  dwclleth  hereby 
Should  have  thy  worship. 


102  THE  AGONISTS  ii 

Theseus 

Thy  God! 
Name  him.     What  slim,  sleek  lad  ? 

Chorus  I 
Hush!     For  I  name  him  not. 

Chorus  H  (whispering) 
The  Son  of  Semele! 

Chorus  HI 
The  Son  of  blinding  Zeus! 

Chorus  IV 
Nurtured  by  wild-eyed  nymphs! 

Chorus  V 
Nurtured  with  blood  for  milk! 

Chorus  I 
Bright  as  wine!     Sanguine  bright! 

Chorus  II 
Him  of  the  gleaming  shoulder! 


II  ARIADNE  IN  NAXOS  103 

Chorus  III 

Him  of  the  wet  skin 

Pluckt  recking  from  the  fawn, 

Clinging  about  him! 

Theseus 

Bacchus! 

Chorus 
Hush!     For  we  name  him  not. 

Theseus 

But  I  name  him,  O  women! 
Shame  and  deep  shame  upon  ye. 

Here  is  no  God  for  maidens  to  seek 

To  grace  the  bed  for  a  bridal. 

Seek  Pallas  rather,  the  virgin  grave, 

Seek  rather  the  Huntress,  the  Shining  One, 

Whom  Ariadne  now  decks  with  prayer. 

Loud  praises  the  Evian  hath — but  not  yours. 

Chorus 

Oh,  but  this  murmurous  God 
Potency  hath  and  dread! 
Here  chiefly  to  be  feared. 


104  THE  AGONISTS  ii 


Theseus 

Seek  ye  the  bride,  lift  with  her 
Your  arms.     Hers  cHmb  to  the  sun. 


Chorus 

Would  that  thine  clomb,  O  son  of  iEgeus, 
with  hers! 


Theseus 

Nay,  let  her  love  work  wonders  for  me! 
For  love  is  mighty,  where  force  not  availeth. 

Chorus 
Ay,  love  is  mighty,  envied  of  Gods. 

Theseus 

Well  may  they  grudge!  for  what  have  they 
To  venture  against  the  dear  joy. 
The   warm-mouthed    welcome   of  wife   and 
child  .? 

Chorus 

Beware  lest  they  mar  that  peace, 

From    husband's    arms    snatch    wife,    from 

mother 
Ravish  the  babe.     Beware,  Theseus! 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  105 

Theseus 

Quaking  hearts,  foolish  talk — 
Here  in  this  sunlit  place! 

[He  reclines  at  ease. 

After  the  dust  of  battle, 

From  the  puddled  earth  new-risen, 

Shaking  the  old  turmoil 

From  his  clotted  hair,  and  the  sweat 

From  haggard  eyes,  the  hero 

Lies  his  length,  and  his  head 

Sinks  to  the  fragrant  lap  of  his  wife! 

She  fills  the  mead-cup,  crowns  him 

With  flowers,  anoints  his  feet, 

Poureth  oil  in  his  wounds. 

With  her  hands  ministereth! 

Who  shall  deny  him  ?     What  God  ? 

I  having  fought,  having  prevailed,  so  crave 

her. 
So  claim  her,  await  her.     So,  even  now, 
I  could  sleep,  for  in  this  mild  air 
Is  sweetness  wooine  to  dreams. 


'to 


Chorus  I 

I  sense  the  mystery  all  about — 
Ah,  me! 

Chorus  II 
Ah,  Lord! 


io6  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Chorus  III 

Who  Cometh  ? 
Who  stealetn  down  the  wind  ? 

Chorus  IV 
What  riot  is  rife  in  the  air  ? 

Theseus 

Dimness  assaileth  me.     What  is  this  ? 
What  thick  sense,  what  languor  of  Hmbs  ? 
What  fumes  of  dropping  wine  ? 

Chorus  V 

Virtue  Hke  that  of  hidden  wine 
Stealing  at  dusk  from  the  wine-vat. 

[Theseus  rises  to  his  knees  in  wonder. 

Theseus 
In  a  day  the  spring  has  leaped!     It  is  here! 

Chorus 
Virtue  is  in  him  of  new  wine. 

Theseus 

Ah,  but  that  wine  was  sweet 

Supt  at  the  bridal!     Sweet  was  the  chant 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  107 

Of  them  by  the  wreathed  Hermes  fast  by  the 

door! 
Frolic  the  feast  was,  burning  the  bride, 
Hiding  her  shame  to  be  so  desired! 
But  here  is  sterner  joy — in  spilt  blood. 
In  clash  of  men,  shock  of  horses, 
In  shouting,  clamour,  pressing  of  spears! 
Man  against  man 

[A  hush  falls.     The  sun  is  hidden. 

Chorus 
Hush!     Hush  all!     He  is  here. 


Who  then  ? 


Theseus 

Chorus 
Our  lord. 

Theseus 

What  lord  .? 

Chorus 
The  nameless,  many-named. 

Theseus 

Then  is  salvation  nearer  than  at  first. 

Dionysus  appears  with  Maenad  and  Faun.    The- 
seus rises,  but  never  looks  at  him  throughout  the  scene. 


io8  THE  AGONISTS  ii 

Dionysus 
Loosed  bonds  for  the  encompassed  I  bring. 

Chorus 
O  full  of  sleep  and  dreams! 

Dionysus 

Beneficent  my  spells  upon  men, 
Dreams  out  of  wine,  panoplied  dreams, 
Conquest,  empery,  ventures  wild 
In  ruinous  places,  on  high  seas 
Unsailed  before.     Who  follows  me 
Forsakes  wife,  children,  father's  house, 
Enthusiast  become, 
Endues  the  fawnskin,  grasps  the  rod, 
Runs  glad  the  riot.     Followest  thou  me  ? 

Theseus  (trembling) 
Lord,  I  am  plighted,  my  father  awaits. 

Dionysus 
Know  thou  no  father  but  mine. 

Theseus 
He  forfend!     I  have  plighted  troth. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  109 

Dionysus 

Great  deeds  are  stored  for  thee — 
Rending  of  nations,  renown  in  Achaia. 

Theseus 
Ay,  I  feel  it! 

Dionysus 

For  thee 
The  shriek  of  men  falling,  for  thee  the  spears, 
The   shouting,    the   captives,    acclaim.     For 

thee 
Hippolyta  Queen  of  scarred  Maeotis 
Arrested  her  fate;  thee  Heracles, 
Alcmena's  son,  awaits  even  now 
To  beckon  lord  of  Athens.     Yea, 
Adventurous  beyond  all  men. 
To  Hades  shalt  thou  go,  and  see 
Passion-pale  Kore,  the  dead — then  come 
To  lord  it  in  Athens.     Thee,  Theseus, 
Athenian  King,  I  urge  to  thy  fate, 
Breathing  upon  thee  thus  with  my  mouth 

[He  breathes  upon  Theseus,  who  trembles 

Breathing  thus  again  upon  thee 

Theseus  shudders  and  sways,  then  lifts  up  with  a 
battle  cry. 


no  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Theseus 
Ho,  for  the  battle!     Ho,  for  the  ship! 

Dionysus 

Thus  breathing  again,  and  thus. 

Theseus  resists  no  more,  but  looks  doglike,  panting 
at  his  master. 

Chorus 

See,  he  trembles!     Each  hot  breath 
Flushes  him  darker,  beside  himself. 

Dionysus 
I  shake  thee  with  my  breath. 

Theseus 

It  encompasseth  as  a  fire, 
Floodeth  my  temples,  beateth 
The  balls  of  my  eyes. 

[He  strides  forward,  shaking  his  head. 

Chorus 

Risen  great  and  grim. 
The  son  of  ^geus  looketh 
Wildly  upon  me,  muttering. 


II 


ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  iii 


Dionysus  (in  a  voice  like  a  trumpet) 

Theseus,  King, 
Girded  with  war-gear, 
Seeketh  his  mates 
By  the  black  ships; 
Raiseth  the  chant. 
The  chant  of  oarsmen; 
Crowdeth  sail 
For  the  open  water. 

[Theseus  sways  about,  holding  his  spear. 

Theseus 

Am  I  not  King? 

Shall  I  forbear  me 

To  seize  the  spear,  to  cry  the  battle 

Shrill  among  men  .?     Let  all  men  know 

Me  leader,  adventurous. 

Not  war-sated,  by  love  not  filled. 

Rather  in  battle  seeking  my  food! 

Chorus 

Alas,  what  wilt  thou  ?     Alas  for  us! 
And  for  her,  the  bride! 

Theseus 

O  thou  that  settest  desire  and  pain 
To  rend  a  man,  by  these  thy  gifts 
Upon  me  now,  hear!     By  the  sword 


112  THE  AGONISTS  ii 

I  draw  I  renounce  my  former  estate, 

And  driven  by  tempest,  mad  with  the  fever 

Gotten  of  thee,  harsh  as  a  squall, 

With  no  look  back,  nor  thought,  I  fling  me — 

Heading  the  spearmen  stark  to  havoc. 

[The  Chorus  impede  him. 

Chorus 

Stay,  lord,  have  pity 
On  her  thy  chosen  mate! 
Lo,  we  are  women,  daring 
Woman's  extreme  fate! 

Theseus 

Trouble  me  not,  for  the  God, 
Giver  of  fire,  is  upon  me. 
Battle!     The  sword  is  out! 

Chorus 

Alas  for  her,  with  a  bleeding  heart. 
Lonely,  passioning  to  her  death! 

Theseus 

Athene  claims  me — brail  up  the  mast — 
Cry  you,  A  Thesus,  ho!     Battle  is  joined! 
Bacchus   is   lord    of  the   earth,   God    above 

Gods — 
Bacchus! 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  113 

Dionysus 
Time  is. 

Theseus 

Hailing  thee  thus,  I  go. 

The  procession  goes  forward,  Theseus,  with  bent 
head,  stumbHng  before  it  as  if  he  was  driven.  The 
Chorus  in  great  agitation  hold  out  their  arms  to  him. 
Presently  they  see  the  ship  take  the  sea.  Then  they 
tell  fiercely  the  tale  after  their  manner. 

Chorus  I 

He  bared  his  eyes;  with  unstaying  feet 

For  the  foam-bitten  shore 

He  hastened,  hounded  to  fate. 

Soon  shall  the  sails  cover  the  fleet. 

The  sea  flash  to  the  freight, 

The  pulse  and  thresh  of  the  oars. 

Man  born  of  a  woman,  winged,  outsoars 

The  hawk's  flight;   falleth  then  and  outpours 

His  eager  estate! 

Chorus  II 

The  Olympian  breath 'd  upon  him;   the  hero, 

blind, 
Drave  where  he  led 
As  a  ship  whose  helmsman  is  gone. 
Yea,  as  a  ship  curst  by  the  wind 
He  went  out  muttering,  wan; 
He  spake  not,  turned  not  his  head. 


114  THE  AGONISTS  ii 

Where    is   love's    chaplet  ?     'Tis   faded,   'tis 

dead! 
Woe  to  the  spousals,  the  desolate  bed, 
The  heart  of  stone! 


Chorus  III 

Man  born  of  a  woman,  purposeful,  bound, 

Lifteth  his  eyes 

To  the  wild  splendour  of  God, 

Dazzled.     The  earth  he  loveth,  her  sound 

Of  reed-music,  her  load 

Of  beauty,  of  ecstasies. 

How  shall  he  dare  the  terrors,  the  mysteries, 

The  silence,  the  brooding,  the  still  surprise. 

The  awful  Abode .'' 


Chorus  IV 

Woman  that  liveth  to  trust  and  to  cling, 

Being  forsworn, 

Choketh  the  tears  as  they  start; 

Masketh  her  passion,  traileth  her  wing 

As  a  bird,  grieveth  apart. 

Tearless,  voiceless,  forlorn. 

Laughter  and  speech  hath  she  for  love;    but 

to  mourn, 
Sighs,  and  labouring  bosom,  and  shorn 
Hair,  and  dead  heart. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  115 

Chorus  V 

And  this  is  her  lot,  she  boweth  her  knees, 
Yieldeth  her  Hmbs, 

Giveth  her  candour,  her  untrodden  soul 
Into  thy  keeping,  O  Man;    for  lordship  she 

sees 
Throned  in  thy  brows,  and  control. 
Lit  by  thy  favour  she  swims 
Sunned  in  thy  smile,  rapt  in  hymns 
Hymeneal,  glorious  in  dreams 
Golden  and  whole! 

Chorus  VI 

Whenas  the  battle,  the  lust  of  war, 

Smell  of  the  sea 

Drive  thee  abroad,  she  cannot  gainsay 

Thy  purpose,  O  Man,  but  afar 

Setting  her  eyes  to  the  day. 

She  bendeth  her  knee. 

Hope  against  hope!   for  the  God  is  in  thee; 

Blood-fever,  the  fury  that  houndcth  the  free 

Have  thee  their  prey! 

Chorus 

The  high  Gods  drive  us  whither  they  will, 

Humble  our  knees. 

Lure  to  ruin  and  sin; 

Whelm  us,  spurn  us,  madden  and  kill; 


ii6  THE  AGONISTS  ii 

Crave  us  belike,  net  and  fasten  us  in, 

Launch  us  on  desolate  seas. 

Power    they    have    to    possess,    but    not    to 

appease 
Desire  upon  us;  power  to  raven  at  ease — 
But  to  love!     Ah,  no,  not  so! 


Chorus  I 

Love!     That  is  ours.     That  have  we 
From  our  kind,  not  Godkind. 

Chorus  II 
Ay,  we  fear  God,  love  man. 

Chorus  III 

Alas,  sisters,  who  would  love  man! 

See  where  she  cometh  alone  with  her  joy — 

With  mirthful  step! 

[Ariadne  comes  in  quickly. 

Ariadne 

Be  glad  with  me 
O  women!  and  be  glad,  thou  Earth, 
And  skyey  vault,  and  amorous  clouds 
That  hang  about  the  sun!     And  you. 
Ye  birds!     O  hills,  lift  up  your  heads! 
Let  all  clear  streams  dance  Hke  my  heart! 


11  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  117 

And  thou,  Maid  Artemis, 
Patroness  of  the  pure, 
Come  thou  to  earth  and  me! 

[The  Chorus  cry  to  their  Goddess. 


Chorus  I 
O  come,  O  come,  Desirable! 

Chorus  II 
O  Lady,  come! 

Chorus  III 
Succour  us  now! 


Pity  us  now! 


Chorus  IV 

Chorus  V 
She  pitieth  none! 

Chorus  VI 

O  hidden   Gods,   whose  name   may  not   be 

spoken, 
This  grows   a   sombre   day   that  opened   so 

fair! 


ii8  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Ariadne 

What     mean    ye,     comrades  ?     What    chill 

shade 
Shall  pass  between  my  love  and  me  ? 

Chorus  I 

Fate's  way.     We  smile  in  our  sleep, 
Anon  the  Furies  beat  their  wings 
Wide,  and  we  weep. 

Ariadne 
Talk  ye  so  to  a  bride  f     Talk  ye  so  ? 

[One  points  out  to  sea. 

Chorus  II 
The  sail!     The  Dragon  climbeth  the  sea. 

Ariadne 

Ships  pass;  and  soon  shall  ours  be 
Like  snow  upon  hyacinth. 

Chorus  III 
The  sky  will  weep  for  that  snow. 

Chorus  IV 
Herald  of  wailing  women. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  119 

Chorus  V 
Herald  of  bruised  breasts. 

Ariadne  (sobered) 
'Tis  true,  clouds  gather  for  rain. 

Chorus  VI 
Rain!     Ay,  of  tears  for  love  forsworn! 

Ariadne 

Shall    I    weep  ^     Shall    I    weep  ?     With    my 

hope 
Proud  like  the  swelling  wheat  ? 

Chorus  I 

Black  with  blight  is  thy  goodly  grain, 
Widowed  art  thou,  to  kindred  not  yet  un- 
veiled. 

Ariadne 

My  heart  is  crying.     Heed  it  not. 
I  am  trembling.     Look  not  at  me. 

Chorus  II 
The  Dragon  drives  not  alone. 


120  THE   AGONISTS  n 

Ariadne 
Where  is  Theseus  ?     Where  is  my  lord  ? 

Chorus  III 
The  godlike  Theseus 

Chorus  IV 

Godlike  in  this 
That  he  is  stark  and  cruel 

Chorus  V 

Is  gone! 
He  is  gone — nor  ship  nor  hero  for  thee. 

[A  pause  of  shock. 

Ariadne 

Heed  not  my  crying,  heed  not  me. 
I  am  foolish — but  speak  to  me. 

Chorus  VI 

A  God  bent  down 

Through  the  air  from  his  seat  on  high, 
Hither  upon  thy  lord;  and  he  breathed 
Furious  breath  on  his  eyes,  and  kindled 
A  fire  in  him,  which  he  fanned  to  flame, 
To  leap  and  encompass  his  soul,  his  honour, 
His  joy  and  pity,  all  the  man 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  121 

He  was  and  might  be.     So  then  thy  lord, 
Filled  with  a  frenzy,  fever  of  blood-thirst, 
Drave,  blundering,  out  to  the  ship. 
Stammering  "Bacchus!    Battle  is  joined! 
A  Theseus,  ho!"  and  rushed  to  the  ship — 
And  they  pushed  out  to  sea. 

Chorus  III 
Nor  shalt  thou  see  his  eyes  again. 

Chorus  IV 

Nor  he  thine  in  thy  son. 

[Ariadne  stands  as  one  dazed. 

Ariadne 
The  sun  is  darkened.     Let  us  too  go. 

Chorus  IV 
Whither? 

Ariadne 

I  know  not.     My  heart  aches. 

She  sits  down,  stiffly  and  strangely,  as  if  out  of  her 
wits. 

Chorus 

Better  by  far  had  death, 

That  stooping  like  a  vulture  clutcht 

Alcestis  to  his  haunt  among  the  shades 


122  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Across  the  coiling  waters,  and  beneath 
The  flowery  crust  of  earth  did  lay  her, 
Wrapt  for  sacrifice  as  in  long  folds 
Of  priestly  mantle,  or  golden  prayer — 
Better,  I  say,  that  thou  wert  with  the  dead 
Folded,  in  expectation  of  no  change. 

Chorus  II 

Thou  that  wast  wife,  as  widow  must  set  to 

the  shears 
The  flow  of  thy  tresses, 
Cast  them  a  golden  shower  to  the  lap  of  the 

earth; 
Fold  in  a  shroud  thy  head,  thy  shell-pink 

ears. 
Hide  the  crystalline  sweet  of  thy  limbs  which 

the  light  caresses, 
Loving  thee  well;  veil  thee  from  sight, 
Black  as  the  raven,  black  as  the  heart  of  the 

storm,  black  as  the  night! 

[Ariadne  cries  over  the  sea. 

Ariadne 

The  dead  wind  lags,  and  even  now 
All  noontide  lays  her  spell  on  the  sea. 
And  on  Theseus,  stretcht  his  length 
Upon  his  lionskin,  sole  on  the  poop. 
Watching  Naxos — and  lo! 
Her  hills  like  barrows  that  mark  a  grave. 
And  love  and  honour  buried  there! 


n  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  123 

What  thought  hankering  bleacheth  his  hair, 
Feedeth  upon  his  brow  ?     What  ruth  ? 
Sighs  he  for  me,  or  needs  me  ?     Alas! 
Alas,  that  from  the  bed 
Of  grey  Tithonus  thou  littest,  thief, 
To  laugh  on  Crete  the  day  I  first  lookt 
On  him,  my  moonbeam,  maddening  me! 
Was  ever  maid  curst  so  by  a  man  ? 

Curst!     Nay,  I  was  blest 
Beyond  all  maids  born  when  I  knew 
For  one  hour  I  was  his,  he  mine! 
Blest  beyond  reach  of  Gods, 
Or  tearing  of  fierce  Moerae; 
With  fire-tinct  memories  stored. 
Deep  as  the  sea,  and  as  clear — 
To  flush  my  temples,  and  beat 
In  my  blood  till  I  die! 

Agitation   has  stolen  into  the   Chorus,  who  have 
become  restless,  attentive  to  distant  sound. 

Chorus 

The  far-off  murmur  of  wailing,  voices  intoned. 
Shrilling  exultant,  sobbing  to  rest,  but  anon 
Borne  on  a  gust  of  wind  sudden  and  fierce. 
Thrust  rude  on  our  ears. 
Swooning  now,  it  is  gone! 
Yet  like  the  feeble  flux  of  a  falling  tide 
Cometh  the  shadow  of  days  bygone 
And  the  salt  savour  of  tears. 

[Ariadne  looks  to  her  lap. 


124  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Ariadne 

O  thou  dear  seed! 

0  tender  shoot,  in  whose  blood 
Is  the  streak  Erechthean, 
The  grain  of  thy  sire! 

Honoured  shall  I  be,  harbouring  thee, 
Blessed  my  breasts  that  give  thee  meat! 

[The  Chorus  are  beside  themselves. 

Chorus 

Soon  shall  be  music,  high  delirium, 
Sobbing  music,  high  procession! 
Life  is  heavy  with  fate  too  big  to  be  borne; 
Fury  shall  enter,  darkness  gather  possession; 
Dreaming  shall  follow  on  woe,  for  anguish 
remission ! 

Ariadne 

What  sing  ye  ?     What  is  your  song  ? 
Have  ye  not  that  to  give  me  the  grace  of 
tears  ? 

Chorus  I  (jerking) 

1  know  not.  But  where  hath  been 
Dejection,  Madness  enters  the  tilth 
New  broken,  and  sows  a  seed. 


u  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  125 

Chorus  II  (inspired) 

War  is  on  earth  of  God  against  God! 

This  is  the  harbourage  favoured  of  one 

Subtly  sweet,  terribly  strong. 

Guard  thee  the  guile  of  his  tongue, 

Beware  the  cloudy  abode 

Of  Bromius,  wilful  and  young. 

Chorus  III  (wildly) 

The  God  of  the  flame,  the  God  of  the  torch! 
The  God  of  Chorus,  the  vintage,  loosing  of 

hair, 
Theban  lacchus! 

Chorus  IV 

Storm  in  his  eyes! 

Chorus  V 
Fire  sits  eating  his  eyes,  buffets  his  wing! 

Chorus  VI 
Bacchus  is  King! 

Chorus  I 

Even  so,  come,  on  the  breath  of  the  spring. 
Come,  Bacchus,  our  King! 

[Ariadne  rises. 


126  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Ariadne 
Are  ye  wise,  women,  are  ye  wise  ? 

Chorus  II 

Yea,  for  my  wisdom  issues 

Darkly;   my  lips  have  words  from  on  high. 

I  know  he  is  near. 

Chorus  III 
Fear  him,  fear! 

Ariadne 

Nay,  but  I  fear  him  not. 

Who  stoopeth  to  strike  the  stricken  ? 

Chorus  IV 

Belike — O  dreamer,  O  dreamful! 

Belike  stooping  with  words 

Silky  as  balm,  he  will  lighten  thy  load. 

Chorus  V 

The  fawnskin,  the  thyrsus,  O  come! 
Hark!     Hark! 

Chorus  VI 

The  winding  of  flutes — 
Padding  feet  in  rhythmical  dance! 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  127 

Chorus  I 

As  herds  to  the  water,  advance — 
Come,  for  Bacchus  is  near! 

[They  circle  about  Ariadne  who  stands  perplexed. 


Ariadne 

What  is  your  speech  ?     I  know  not. 
Whom  sing  ye  so  shrilly  ^ 

The  Chorus  now  in  wild  excitement  run  about  and 
urge  one  another. 

Chorus  I 

Again  the  riot,  the  passion,  the  beating 

Of  wings  in  the  void,  the  rapture,  the  greeting 

Of  shadowy  forms  and  vast! 

Chorus  II 
Bacchus! 

Chorus  III 

Numbed  are  the  senses,  the  horror  is  past! 
Mountain    calleth    to   mountain,   deep   unto 
deep! 

Chorus  II 
Bacchus,  O  Bacchus! 


128  THE  AGONISTS 


Chorus  IV 

Sleepers  awake!     Nymphs  of  the  grove, 
Nereids,  reedy  and  still,  shiver  and  move. 
Your  white  arms  as  I  move! 


Chorus  V 
I  feel  the  God!     I  am  mad  with  light. 

Chorus  II 
Bacchus,  Bacchus,  lacchus! 

Chorus  VI 
It  is  thou,  it  is  thou.  Giver  of  Fire! 

Chorus  II 
Bacchus,  Bacchus,  lacchus! 

Chorus  I 

Nymph-beloved,  it  is  thou,  the  myriad-named, 
Thou,  born  in  Thebae,  shameless,  unshamed, 
God  of  the  vine,  God  of  the  lyre! 

Chorus  II 

Bacchus,  Bacchus,  Evoe! 

[Dionysus  appears  with  the  Maenad. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  129 

Dionysus 
Mine,  Ariadne,  now,  by  clay  and  by  night. 

[The  Chorus  offer  themselves  to  him  madly. 

Chorus  I 
Lord,  I  am  thine! 

Chorus  II 
And  I! 

Chorus  III 

And  I! 

Chorus  IV 
Lord,  we  follow 

Chorus  V 

Ah,  lord,  take  me! 

Ariadne 
Who  art  thou,  lord  ? 

Chorus 
Bacchus  named,  lord  of  the  earth! 


130 


THE   AGONISTS  n 


Dionysus 


Hail  to  the  chosen  bride! 

Hail  to  thee,  loved  and  sought  by  a  God, 

Anointed  thus  with  my  breath 

Upon   bosom  and   brows,  upon  mouth   and 

eyes, 
Softer  shed  than  dew  on  the  grass. 
Lighter  than  gossamer,  calling  thee  hence, 
Ariadne,  to  follow  desire 
Whither  I  lead. 

Speaking,  he  breathes  upon  her,  bending  down  over 
her  where  she  kneels. 


Chorus 

We   toil   in   thy   track   through   thicket  and 

hollow, 
Over  the  rocky  steep  of  the  mountain, 
Through  the  marish  and  salt  lagoon. 
Through  bramble  and  briar,  over  the  dune. 
Through  harsh  bent  grass  bitter  with  wind 

from  the  sea. 
Fire   aches   in   our   blood,   to  thrust  a   way 

through — 
Ah,  we  madden,  we  die! 


Dionysus 
Mine,  mine,  O  much-beloved! 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  131 

Ariadne 

Not  thine,  not  mine,  but  only  his 
Who  made  me  matron  suddenly, 
An  untried  virgin,  very  young. 

Chorus 

Nay,  he  hath  terrible  eyes, 

His  force  is  a  force  of  rain. 

Irresistibly  soft, 

Fretting  the  rock,  gnav^ing  the  plain 

With  furrow  deeper  than  plough  in  the  croft. 

Ariadne 

Shameful  your  song.     Ill  it  beseems 
Ye  drive  me,  burdened  so  heavily! 
And  thou!     Oh,  be  merciful. 
Take  not  my  grief  from  me! 

Look  on  me,  I  am  piteous. 

My  strength  is  gone,  and  my  garner  of  years 

May  waste  ere  the  sheaf  be  added 

Should  win  me  sight  of  my  lord 

In  his  son.     If  haply  my  prayer 

Hath  flitted  in  vacant  wind 

About  her  shrine,  or  if  she, 

My  Goddess,  holdeth  aloof. 

Thou  wilt  have  pity,  and  leave  us 

Hand  in  hand,  grief  and  I, 

Bosom-mates.     Thou  that  didst  grieve 


132  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Mortal  mother,  who  died 
Of  too  clear  sight  of  her  joy 
Semele's  son,  pity  thou  me, 
Mother  and  mortal! 


Chorus 

Idle  thy  prayer!     He  is  here. 
Desirous. 


Ariadne 

If  I  abate 
Ever  so  much  as  the  breadth  of  a  hair 
From  virgin  estate, 
Vow'd  to  my  lord,  how  shall  I  dare 
Wash  the  tears  from  my  body  to  make  me 

fair 
When  he  calleth  me  home  to  be  mate  ? 
Now,  Demeter,  aid  me,  and  bear 
My  feet,  slipping  to  fate! 

Ah,  lord,  thou  art  great! 

Lore  of  dark  wisdom  is  thine,  thy  blood 

Kindles  desire  for  fulness  of  life. 

I  look  to  thine  eyes,  as  into  water,  where 

strife 
And  clamour  lie  drowned,  and  still  creatures 

brood. 
Watching  the  ebb  and  flow  of  thy  mood: 
Look  not  so!  thine  eyes  are  as  wells! 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  133 

Chorus 

Lord,  that  Pentheus  the  King 

Fought   to   his   wreck   and    the   woe   of  his 

house; 
That  hurled  him  red  to  the  teeth  of  his  foes — 
Agave,   wife,   and   old   Cadmus,   father  and 

king. 
Tore,  mangled  his  Umbs, 
Driven  by  thee  to  the  dark,  terrible  thing: 
Little  she  deems 
Her  end  who  battles  with  God! 

Ariadne 

Take  off  from  me  the  glamour  of  thine  eyes, 
For  thus  to  witch  me  is  pitiful. 
Regard  me  not — thou'lt  kill  me! 

Dionysus 
Mine,  mine,  by  day  and  night. 

Chorus 

He  smileth  on  her,  his  mouth  is  bright, 
Keen  as  the  wind  of  the  north  with  frosty  bite. 
And  the  burning  of  frost — 
She  reels,  faints,  and  is  lost. 

Ariadnk  (wailing) 

Yea,  irredeemably  lost 
In  the  shrouds  of  thee! 


134 


THE  AGONISTS  n 


Folded,  carried  away 
By  floe  too  stealthy  and  swift. 
Drowning,  I  care  not  lift 
Hands,  I  care  not  to  pray — 
Only  I  hymn  thee,  looser  of  toils, 
Swift  Saviour,  whom  sin  and  the  coils 
Of  flesh  never  gainsay. 

Washt  clean  in  thy  waters,  I  take  new  birth, 
HaiUng  thee  lord  of  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  earth. 

Maenad 

Dark  as  wine,  ruthless  as  rain — 

lo,  Zagreus,  regent  of  storm  and  pain! 

Dionysus 

Come,  O  thou  heavy-laden,  behold 
In  me  all  grieving  drowned. 

Chorus 

Trembling  in  all  her  limbs,  but  not  for  fears. 

Rather  for  lassitude  of  pain; 

Seeking  with  eyes  all  blotted  dim  with  tears 

Her  soul's  peculiar  food; 

Lagging  as  flower  dissipate  by  rain 

That  faints  to  feel  the  sun, 

She  gathers  up  her  sorrow  in  a  flood 

And  heaps  it  on  thee — and  the  strife  is  done. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  135 

Ariadne  (to  the  Maenad) 

Let  there  be  mystic  dance  and  procession; 

unbind 
My  hair  that  it  float  on  the  wind. 
Loose  ye  my  girdle,  sister,  let  me  go  free 
For  my  lord's  pleasure  of  me. 
So — I   throw  my  head    back,   so  feel   I   the 

God 
In  my  veins.     The  blossoming  rod 
Into  my  hand  give  ye! 

[The  Maenad  has  now  approached  her  for  the  rite. 

lo,  Bacchus,  lover  of  Chorus, 
Tragic,  dark,  inscrutable  one! 
Rapt  lead  I  the  dance,  my  blood 
Leaping  to  thine.     O  master  of  me. 
Catch  the  sob  in  my  throat  with  a  kiss,  and 
seal  me  to  thee! 

Maenad 

lo!     The  lord  of  lights  and  glooms  goeth  on! 

They  pass  out  in  procession.  The  Chorus  dance 
the  Bacchic  hymn,  which  varies  with  each  singer. 
Between  each  strophe  there  is  dancing,  which  is 
heralded  by  the  emotion  expressed  in  the  verse. 

Chorus  I 

Let  us  fly  to   the  hills   and   thyme-haunted 

places, 
Revel  is  on  us;  he  goadeth  us  on! 


136  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Kindle  the  pine-stem,  snatch  the  thyrsus, 

Lift  shrill  song 

With  wailing  of  flutes,  scream  of  the  pipes: 

Stamp  ye  your  feet 

Rhythmically  as  the  mad  drums  beat — 

Bacchus,  Bacchus,  lacchus!     We  drift  in  the 
throng 

Of    the    lightfoot    fauns,    nymphs     bright- 
breasted  and  young, 

With  hair  afloat  and  giving  of  tongue — 

We  are  thy  dogs,  hounding  the  day! 

[Dance. 

Chorus  II 

Thou  that  feedest  on  prayer, 

Worshipt  with  sobs  at  Eleusis, 

Where  the  Mystae  fall  to  their  faces, 

Lie  with  dust  on  their  hair! 

Clear  call  the  priests,  wail  the  priestesses 

Thrilled  by  thee — thy  might 

Fills   the   vast:     they   stumble,   run   to   and 

fro 
As  drunken,  reeling  they  go 
Whither  they  know  not,  astray 
Into  the  night! 


[Dance. 


Chorus  III 

Like  as  the  wounded  deer, 
Limping  adown  the  valley, 
Pants  for  the  quiet  hidden  streams, 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  137 

Yet  stays  her  not,  nor  slacks  her  limbs, 

White  fear  doth  gripe  her  wholly; 

So  labouring  we  long 

For  haven  in  our  pain, 

The  patter  of  the  rain. 

The    volume    of    the    storm    without    our 

wattled  home! 
So  labouring  go  we  on 
Burdened  with  thee, 
And  bruise  thy  fruit  against  our  lips. 
And  let  the  drips 
Of  wine-vats   sluice   our  brows   and   aching 

sense  eclipse. 

[Dance. 


Chorus  IV 

Lord  of  the  choric  strain, 
Darkly  oracular, 
We  search  thy  face  in  vain, 
Thy  lips  for  any  sign 
Or  soothful  or  benign 
Of  any  solace  for  our  burning  scar; 
Seeking  thee  from  afar, 
From  howling  seas  stormy  with  winter  war, 
From  where  the  windy,  frozen  caverns  are. 
We  struggle  southward  in  a  broken  line, 
Swallows  wide-scattered,  seeking  the  south — 
And    lo!     the    sun    lays    bare    thy    mocking 
mouth! 

[Dance. 


138  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Chorus  V 

More  cruel  than  women  fatal  unto  men, 
iEaean  Circe  or  the  Ogygian  queen, 
Of  beauty  yet  more  fell  and  ruinous! 
Thee    when    Zeus    garnered    in    his    mighty 

thigh 
He  fostered  delicate  poison,  and  willed  us  die 
That  hungered.     And  thy  savour  maddened 

us. 
Who  kissing  thee  again   found   death   more 

piteous. 

[Dance. 

Chorus  VI  (pointing) 

Break  off,  for  the  sun  shineth  on  high, 
And  the  God  returneth 
And  all  the  blue  world  yearneth 
To  the  spell  of  his  beaming  eye! 

Ah,  see  in  what  lovely  wise 

With  soft  arms  intertwined 

And  head  to  ruddy  neck  reclined. 

The   dream-God    leads   our   dreaming   one! 

Her  eyes 
Upward  search  the  fathomless 
Depth  unutterable  of  his — 
Come,  let  us  greet  her,  glozed  with  mysteries. 

Dionysus  comes  back,  with  Ariadne  clinging  to  him, 
embraced  with  his  arm. 


11  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  139 

Dionysus 

Laugh  for  gladness,  O  be  blithe, 
Open  thy  lips  and  give  me  words 
Comfortable,  that  thy  man  might  have, 
Whispering  utter  faithfulness, 
Joy  in  yielded  strength  of  him. 
Chatter  as  she  whose  love  is  ripe. 
Whose  heart  and  his  as  petals  of  flowers 
Cling  together,  ensheathing  so 
That  heart  they  two  have  conceived  as  one. 
Speak  so  to  me  whom  thou  hast  so  loved, 
Drowning  in  me  thy  conquered  grief — 
Speak,  Ariadne,  speak,  my  bride! 

[She  pores  upon  his  face  and  clasps  him  wildly. 


Ariadne 

Let  me  see  thy  face,  let  me  touch  thy  hair. 
Hold  thee  in  arms — closer,  closer! 
Touch  me,  touch  me,  love  me  close — 
Now  let  thy  heart  beat  attune  with  mine — 
Kiss  me  long — ah! 

[She  releases  him. 

No  man  art  thou, 
But  God  who  maketh  me  faint 
With  love  that  like  hungry  flame 
Leapeth  and  licketh  my  heart, 
And  knoweth  no  rest  for  fear  that  it  die! 


140  THE  AGONISTS 

It  consumeth  me  as  a  feverish  night. 
It  passeth  like  fire  on  the  hearth. 
It  runneth  about,  roareth  on  high, 
Shaketh  down  ash,  raveneth  still, 
Mastereth  me,  giveth  no  peace — 
Nay,  I  must  die  of  this  love! 

Dionysus 
Love  I  gave  thee — owest  thou  nothing  ? 

Ariadne 
Whither  thou  goest,  I  go. 

Dionysus 
What  hast  thou  yet  that  I  have  not .? 

Ariadne 
Nothing.     Thou  hast  me  all. 

Dionysus 
Grudgest  thou  this  our  joy .? 

Ariadne 

Joy  .?     Had  I  joy  of  thee  ? 

Joy  ?     Do  I  grudge  thee  such  joy .? 

Nor  grudge,  nor  wish  otherwise. 
Thou  camest,  a  flare  of  light — 


II 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  141 

Blinded,  I  fell  asleep 

And  dreamed  of  subtle  and  lovely  things. 

Dionysus 

Lovely!     And  thou  so  lovely! 

So  loved — and  so  unloving! 

I  know  what  I  have  won,  and  what  lost. 


Ariadne 
Thou  hast  won  all. 

Dionysus 
Thy  heart .? 

Ariadne 
I  have  no  heart.     That  is  dead. 

Dionysus 

God  giveth  life.     As  God 
Bent  I  in  love  upon  thee. 
Pouring  my  breath  like  new  wine 
Into  thy  mouth. 

Ariadne 

As  mortal 
I  bowed  to  immortal  God. 


142  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Dionysus 

Ranked  in  the  clouds,  seeing,  not  seen, 
Carven  in  beauty,  sit  the  high  Gods, 
In  a  white  row,  serene  and  cold; 
Holding  each  in  his  hand 
The  strings  of  life  and  destiny; 
Having  their  will  for  law. 
Seeing  life  as  a  tale  told. 
Far  from  earth  and  its  quiet  recesses. 

The  dusty  orb  of  the  earth, 
Darkhng  and  smouldering, 
Spinning  below  their  sacred  zone 
Of  pure  light,  hangeth  and  swingeth 
Barred  from  doom  by  Charter,  and  free 
For  sorrow  or  mirth. 
Thither  God  bendeth  his  eyes,  to  see 
How  man  to  man  turneth  and  clingeth. 
Mate  knitteth  to  mate, 
Maiden  to  youth,  matron  to  man. 
With  love  to  bind,  beget  and  create 
More,  to  shun  Him  and  hate, 
Even  as  they  fear! 

What  hath  God  to  do  here  ? 

Driven  by  desire,  He  came  down 

To  visit  the  earth  He  had  made. 

Clothed  in  lightning  and  majesty, 

Beamed  in  white  ethereal  fire. 

On  the  wind  enthroned.     Man  was  afraid 


n  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  143 

And  hid,  and  called  upon  his  desire 

To   hide   in    his    bosom.     Then    God   grew 

wrath 
With  the  world.     He  drave 
With  a  sword  man  out  of  his  path; 
But  the  closer  man  clave 
To  his  smooth  counterpart, 
Loving  even  the  grave. 
Where  she  lay  hid,  more  than  God's  heart. 
Love  starved  now,  God  gloometh  apart, 
Too  high  for  love,  and  removed  too  far. 
Bound  by  his  own  decree. 
Absolute  King,  alone — 
Misjudged,     hard  -  judging,     powerless     in 

potency! 

[He  turns  to  Ariadne  holding  out  his  hands. 

O  thou  woman  beloved! 

Who  hast  known  me,  had  of  me 

More  than  of  man  thou  couldst  ever — 

Thou  who  hast  given  me 

What  save  to  God  thou  couldst  never! 

See  now,  imploring. 

Urging  thy  heart, 

I,  God,  stoop 

To  thy  knees,  thy  lover! 

I,  God,  at  thy  knees — 

Stooping  immortal — I,  incorruptible. 

Stooping  to  thee,  corruptible! 

What  sayest  thou  ^ 


144  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Ariadne  (in  a  low  voice) 
Whither  thou  callest  go  I. 

Dionysus 
Dazed  and  stricken  thou  doggest  my  heels. 

Ariadne 
So  I  must  follow  or  die. 

Chorus 

A  bitter  ending!     Fate  like  a  hound 
Snuffing  the  track  of  the  doomed  one. 

Ariadne 
Fate's  wings  quicken. 

Dionysus 

Fate  driveth  us  both, 
Both  to  the  end  appointed. 

[He  cries  to  her. 

O  woman! 

0  woman,  give  me  thine  heart! 
Give  me  the  whole,  for  lacking  it, 

1  hold  thee  phantomwise. 

Nor   touched    thee   when    compelling.     Thy 

heart, 
Woman,  thy  heart!     Take  back  thy  kisses, 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  145 

Take  back  thy  lips,  withdraw  thine  arms 
That  clung  and  cradled  me! 
Thy  heart!     Canst  thou  not  understand 
How  God  must  spurn  all  flesh  that  hath  not 

soul, 
Yet  weary  of  soul  unwarmed  by  flesh, 
And  anguish  in  his  realm  for  mortal  love! 

[He  is  very  near  her,  but  she  holds  him  off. 

Ariadne 

Touch  me  not  again,  for  I  have  sinned: 
Dark  days  are  come. 
Sin  being  done,  I  know  where  'tis  paid, 
The  debtor  ruthless,  the  debt  acknowledge. 
For  I  was  delicate,  being  with  child. 
Therefore  I  die. 

[The  Chorus  in  great  desolation. 

Chorus 

Must  we  die,  Dionysus  ? 

Dost  thou  leave  us,  O  God,  in  our  misery  ? 

Dionysus 

Ariadne,  stay  thou  patient  for  me. 
I  go  to  Artemis.     She  will  hear. 

In  Delos,  in  the  sacred  sea, 

Of  virgin  harbours,  shores  untrod, 


146  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Unsoiled  and  flawless  as  her  birth, 
Where  Leto  lightened  of  her  load, 
And  never  woman  hath  dared  lie-in, 
Nor  dog  set  foot— in  Delos  holy 
Among  the  trees  that  bear  no  fruit. 
Aisles  of  plane,  birchen  groves. 
Ilex  deep,  there  sober-lipt 
Artemis  sister  of  high  Apollo 
Has  pure  worship.     Thither  now  I 
Will  urge  with  pity,  anon  return 
To  my  love — to  my  love. 

Ariadne 

Lord,  leave  me  not! 

This  place  is  full  of  voices. 

[Dionysus  vanishes  as  she  speaks. 
Chorus  I 


Gone!     He  was,  and  is  not. 
This  was  a  God. 


[The  scene  darkens. 


Chorus  II 

With  him  the  light  is  gone. 

Ariadne,  in  deep  dejection,  has  sunk  to  the  ground 
and  buried  her  face  in  her  knees.  The  Chorus  murmur 
their  despair. 


n  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  147 

Chorus 

Where  is  there  peace, 

Or  where  the  land  unstruck  by  God  ? 

Where  shall  the  wounded  fly, 

Or  in  what  covert  lie 

Unvisited  by  his  rod  ? 

There  is  no  peace  at  all! 
Our  robe  of  beauty  is  a  pestilent  blight, 
God-given  in  our  despite 
And  set  like  a  gilded  pall 
To  cover  leanness,  and  hide  corruption  out  of 
sight! 

[One  points  seaward  and  cries  out. 

Chorus  I 
Succour  from  the  sea! 


More  snarling. 


Chorus  II 

Or  spite 

Chorus  III 


As  a  gathered  squall 
Drives  o'er  the  azure  of  the  main 
And  with  his  mantle  enwrappeth  ships, 
Now  cometh  with  hasty  steps 
A  stranger  to  bless  or  ban. 


148  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Chorus  IV 
His  eyes  are  haggard  with  fear. 

Chorus  V 
It  filleth  the  air  I  breathe. 

Chorus  VI 

Hush!     Speak  him  fair. 
Hush!     Lest  he  hear. 

[An   Athenian  Sailor  enters  the  scene.     He    salutes 
Ariadne. 

Sailor 

Hail  thou,  that  dost  raise  thy  head 
Above  thy  women,  as  queen  of  them. 

Ariadne 

We  greet  you  fairly,  with  service  due — 
Washing  of  feet,  clean  raiment,  bread 
And  wine;    then  help  with  your  burden  of 
speech. 

Sailor 
No  help  for  that,  lady,  that  you  can  give. 

Ariadne 
Rest  here,  then  speed  the  better. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  149 

Sailor 

Like  a  ship  before  the  wind 
I  drive  before  shrilling  fear. 

Ariadne 
Make  this  your  haven,  O  friend. 

Sailor 

My  haven!     I  have  but  one. 
I  seek  him  here. 

Chorus 
Seek  whom  ? 

Sailor 

Heavy  with  news  I  seek 
The  son  of  iEgeus. 

Ariadne 

Aha! 
My  Lady  Hymnia,  thou  strikest? 
Hast  thou  me  ?     Hast  thou  me  ? 
Is  thine  arrow  notched  ? 

Sailor 

What  pain 
Wrings  her  to  this  grief.? 


150  THE  AGONISTS  ii 

Chorus 

Thou  crownest  her  sorrow. 
Thou  seekest  her  master  and  lord, 
Who  late  abode  with  us,  and  then  sailed 
In  a  swift  ship  for  the  outland. 

Sailor 
The  King  is  gone  ? 


Went  he  out. 


Chorus 

A  king's  son 

Sailor 
Whither  away  ? 


Chorus 

I  know  not.     Hounded  he  went 

By  a  God  that  breathed  in  him  fever 

And  fury  and  thirst  for  blood. 


Double  woe! 


Sailor 

Chorus 
Tell  thy  tidings. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  151 

Sailor 

The  yearly  tribute  we  owed  to  Crete, 

Which  like  an  issue  drained  our  manhood 

And  left  us  poorer  and  yet  more  wan, 

Was  floated  on  our  sighing 

Its  full  three  moons  of  anguish  tense; 

Yet  never  answering  sail  hove  up, 

Or  black  as  winter,  or  white  as  flowers 

That  foam  the  uplands  in  spring. 

For  one  or  other  waited  Athens, 
Seeing  that  Theseus,  grieving  for  her. 
Himself  the  goodliest,  himself  did  offer 
To  staunch  that  wound.     And  thus  he  left  it. 
That  if  he  prospered,  home  to  us 
Speedy  would  come,  whose  white  sails 
Should  flash  our  joy;  but  if  harsh  fate 
Adjudged  him  dead,  his  mourning  ship 
Should  cloud  the  day  with  a  black  sail. 
Black  as  our  hopes.     Such  pact  he  made. 

Now  when  so  long  a  time  was  past 
Rayless,  the  King,  fear  gnawing  him. 
Strenuous  in  prayer,  himself  the  priest, 
Long  files  of  oxen,  files  of  goats 
Slaughtered  daily,  and  sluiced  the  altars, 
And  after  tottered,  drunk  with  his  fear, 
To  where  the  citadel,  white  to  sea. 
Breasts  the  liquid  wonder  of  blue. — 
There  king  /Egeus,  the  old,  the  venerable, 
Winter-white,  daily  stood 


152  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Among  the  elders,  older  than  any, 
And  saw  the  dawn  redden  and  fire. 
The  sun  rise  burning  out  of  the  sea; 
Saw  him  anon  swim  over  Athens, 
Drowsing  among  her  sleeping  hills; 
Watched  and  waited;   then  saw  him  slope, 
Clothe  with  purple  the  bosomed  hills. 
And  violet  night  steal  down,  with  stars 
Gemmed  in  her  curtains,  and  the  young  moon 
Stare  acold  on  the  muffled  sea. 
Wonderfully  still.     Waxt  she  and  waned, 
And  new  days  broke;  then  a  new  moon 
Silvered  the  frosty  girdle  of  earth: 
Then  an  ominous  day. 

Stood  up  before  the  altar  King  iEgeus, 
Poured  wine  upon  earth,  oil  upon  wood. 
Set-to  the  torch;  the  sullen  wood 
Hissed  like  a  tangle  of  snakes,  and  died. 
So  the  Gods  knew  not,  smelt  not,  nor  felt 
The    thigh-smoke,   nor    their    nostrils   with 

blood-reek 
Were  filled  that  day — for  ere  new  flame 
Caught  the  wood,  one  came  and  knelt 
And  cried  to  the  king,  The  ship  is  here! 
We  went,  he,  ^geus,  blenching  for  fear, 
Winter-white,  and  took  up  station 
On  the  sea-ward  wall.     He  bared  his  eyes, 
Wandering  and  blue,  to  sea;  and  each 
Bared  eyes  and  lookt,  and  lo!  as  a  cloud 
Besmircht,  black  on  a  flawlesss  sea, 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  153 

Out  some  ten  cable  swayed  a  ship, 

Black  as  death's  jaws,  and  flapping  heavily. 

Dragging  the  mast,  a  soot-black  sail. 

He  gave  no  cry,  nor  wailed  at  all, 
But  stretcht  his  arms  out  unto  the  ship 
As  clamouring  what  it  bore;  so  straining, 
Fell  piteous  down  to  ruin  and  death 
Over  the  sheer,  and  all  his  blood, 
His  golden  blood,  pock-markt  the  earth. 
Thus  in  his  full  of  days  died  he. 
Old  i^^geus,  and  Athens  mourned  him  long. 
As  kinsfolk  mourn  housefather  and  lord. 
But  when  with  oar-thresh  came  that  ship 
To  land,  our  woe  was  rent  by  laughing 
For  news  of  Theseus  at  hand!  who'd  sent 
Swift  heralds  of  grace;  but  in  his  joy 
Made  mad,  let  slip  the  promise  given 
Of  message  by  sail  of  white  or  black. 
So  all  this  dule  had  wrought  his  people 
And  worship  quicker  than  he  could  covet 
On  him,  on  Athens  and  her  men. 
Whom  yet,  with  vow  to  break  no  bread, 
Nor  clip  my  locks,  nor  anoint  my  body, 
Seeking,  I  cHmb  the  unageing  sea. 

Chorus 

Seek  him  not  here;  here  is  no  room 
For  hope  or  joy  to  have  dominion. 
For  he  is  gone,  and  left  his  troth 


154  THE   AGONISTS  n 

A  shredded  rag  on  a  bush  of  thorns. 
To  rot  in  air. 

Sailor 

Went  the  king  out 
With  all  his  pomp,  with  his  bride  and  her 
maids  ? 

Chorus 
The  King  went  alone  in  the  keen  ship. 

Sailor 
But  swift  returning  will  claim  the  bride. 

Chorus 

Nay,  surely.     A  God  constrained  him 
To  what  (in  men)  were  knavish  work. 

Sailor 
Under  what  God  then,  went  he  ? 

Chorus 

Even  Dionysus,  the  young,  the  wild, 
Whose  breath  tormented  all  his  force 
So  that  he  twisted  under  the  stress  of  it, 
And  muttering  murder,  shagged  and  red, 
Flung  whence  his  honour  lay  moaning. 


11  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  155 

Sailor 

Now  by  that  God,  by  Theban  rites, 

And  mystic  chorus  round  his  altar. 

Some     fate     hath     sealed     your    eyes,    and 

marred — 
For  to  me  all  is  clear. 

Chorus 

Declare  it. 

Sailor 

O  never  the  Theban  men  forsaketh 
At  this  their  season  of  sacrifice 
With  holy  proffer  of  tragic  song. 
Intoned  speech  and  charged  dancing; 
Rather,  beneficent,  full  of  cheer, 
Wakeful,  watchful  is  he.     He  therefore, 
Weeping  our  wretchedness,  bare  estate, 
Forewarned  the  hero  of  instant  need; 
But  after  when,  the  storm  bypast, 
Athens  grows  ruddy,  smiles  thro'  tears. 
Him  will  the  cheerful  God  send  out, 
And  bring  to  port  with  beckoning  wind 
The  Cretan  bride  to  rule  his  household 
And  share  his  state.     See  ye  to  this. 
That  Theseus  when  he  come  find  love-looks 
And    sweet    subservience,    the    wife's    good 
part. 


156  THE  AGONISTS  11 

Chorus 

Thy  words  are  honey,  they  drop  as  wine; 
Wisdom  inflames  them;  they  shine  true! 
O  lady,  mend  your  sighing! 

Sailor 

Perverse, 
As  one  dismayed,  with  knotted  hands 
And    hard-rimmed    eyes — What   is    this   for 
cheer  ? 

Chorus 
New  hope  hath  struck  too  sudden  on  her. 

Sailor 
This  is  a  wider  wound,  not  healed. 

Ariadne 

Anguish  can  have  no  stay, 

Seeing  I  gave  it  life, 

Nor  cease  till  I  cease.     Pain, 

Repentance,  sharp  reproach: 

A  time  for  dreams,  and  a  time 

For  dumb  expectance;  a  time 

For  tears  that  come  not — then  She, 

The  Bright,  strikes  hasty  her  stroke. 

.iEgeus  falleth.     One  more — 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  157 

Another  victim,  from  Crete, 
Must  pay  the  forfeit  of  debt. 

0  perjured,  that  could  not  watch 
One  hour!     Her  eyeHght  burns! 
There  is  one  end  for  me. 

Chorus 

The  end  is  at  hand,  and  the  ship  awaits. 
An  end  in  Athens,  thy  husband's  arms. 

Ariadne 

1  have  done  evil,  a  thing  of  scorn, 
A  nameless  thing,  a  thing  of  shame. 
Pasiphae  taints  my  body, 

To  win  me  this  end. 

Chorus 
Alas,  grief  hath  frozen  her  heart! 

Sailor 
Keep  high  your  hearts  at  least. 

Chorus 
Listen  her  moan. 

Ariadne 

Stern  law  hath  Artemis. 
Now  in  her  eyes  ruin  I  read, 
Ruin  remediless! 


158  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Chorus 

O  madness  which  we  wrought, 
O  blind  desire  possessing! 

Ariadne 

Peace,  O  ye  women,  lured 

By  craft  of  mine,  and  misled 

From  sunny  Crete,  from  the  shrines 

Of  your  Gods,  from  your  fathers'  halls, 

From  the  kindled  hearths,  and  streets  foun- 

tained  and  leafy — 
Peace,  this  evil  is  mine! 
O  pride,  now  art  thou  mockt, 
Faith    in    man's    arms!     Praise,    thou  wert 

vain! 
Mockery  shoots  his  lips.     The  rain 
Beats  on   the  waste,  mockery  rings  on  the 

plain. 
Crying,    O    Fool,    O    Fool!    and    O    Fool! 

again. 

Chorus 

O  breath  that  her  mother  gave  her! 
O  mother's  breasts  that  she  sucked! 

Ariadne 

There  was  no  end  to  my  pride. 
The  strong  lay  prone  before  the  light    of  my 
face — 


11  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  159 

Treasure  for  virgin  there!     I  threw  it  aside. 
Glory  in  Athens  beckoned;    I  saw  the  hned 

ships 
Thick  in  port,  the  shore  white  with  a  host 
Of  welcoming  faces;  songs  on  all  lips, 
Flowers  in  all  hands,  epithalamic;    the  grace 
Of  matron's  estate,  holy  wife,  mother  holy — 
All,  all  mine!     But  I  threw  them  aside. 


Chorus 

O  leader  of  virgin  chorus, 
Virgin  no  more! 

Ariadne 

Then  I  was  lost! 

Athens  was  lost,  her  king  snug  in  my  womb, 

My  new  womb  filled   with   a  king — lo!  my 

offence 
Greater  than  any  sin  under  the  sun, 
That  a  mother  should  barter  her  child,  starve 

her  breasts. 
Starve  her  eyes  of  the  light 
Of  eyes  that  never  should  see  it! 
Where  would  ye  have  such  a  woman  tossed  .? 

Chorus 

O  love  of  living!     O  soul's  eclipse! 
Cast  her  adulteress,  perjuress! 


i6o  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Ariadne 

Hell  is  the  end,  the  gray 

Whispering  vales   of  the   restless   dead  and 

acold 
Thrill  to  attend  my  soul. 
Hades  that  grim  old  king 
Fretteth  his  gnarly  hands  on  the  knops  of 

his  throne, 
Twisteth  his  mouth  awry,  and  his  pale 
Heavy-eyed  listless  wife,  from  the  uplands  of 

Enna 
Ravisht  for  his  dehght, 

Feeleth  her  chill  blood  stir  for  my  coming  in. 
This  is  my  end — how  else  would  ye  pay  the 

sin  ? 
Would  ye  crown  with  a  golden  harvest  such 

deeds. 
Look  for  a  blossom  after  the  bhght? 
Black-hearted,  how  shall  my  fruit  be  white. 
Or  how  reap  figs  where  ye  sow  the  thistle 

seeds  ? 
I  have  no  crown,  but  instead 
Reproach  for  garment,  a  shroud 
Of  curses  thick  as  the  bhnd  snow-cloud: 
Death  unhallowed  among  the  happier  dead — 
Death  for  me  and  the  babe  I  have  never  fed. 

Chorus 

For  end  of  sin  are  madness  and  death, 
Shame,  an  ungarlanded  tomb. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  i6i 

Ariadne 

This  is  the  end  of  sorrow,  for  here 

I  lay  me  down,  aching  for  ease 

Where  ease  never  can  be. 

I,  the  King's  daughter,  ragged  in  shame, 

Seeking  to  hide  her  name; 

CalHng  upon  the  seas 

To  fall  over  her  and  drown  her  legend  in 

water! 
I,  the  King's  daughter. 
Daughter  of  Minos,  ancient  of  God,  and  of 

her 
The     burning    woman,     Pasiphae,    cursing, 

accurst, 
Whose  sin  Heaven  shuddered  to  hear 
And  Hell  stood  silent.     She  may  never  be 

clean. 
She  must  drag  her  sin  as  a  chain. 
Show  her  robe  with  the  crimson  stain; 
She  must  wring  her  hands,  utter  her  wailing 

cry — 
"I  was  lovely,  I  loved,  I  was  false,  and  I  dare 

not  die!" 
Let  me  die.  Goddess;  less  dare  I  live! 

Chorus 
Ai!     Ai!     She  is  beside  herself. 

Sailor 
What  can  the  end  be  but  sorrow.? 


i62  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Ariadne 
Tarry  ye  here — all  is  not  done. 

Chorus 
What  more  for  sacrifice  ? 

Ariadne 
There's  that  to  offer  the  Goddess  will  have. 

Chorus 
Thou  hast  poured  thy  hbation. 

Ariadne 

She  had  it,  but  shall  have  now 
A  new  libation,  a  cleaner  flame. 
Tarry  ye  here. 

[She  goes  swiftly  into  the  grove. 

Chorus 
As  mist  she  goeth! 

An  old  saw  teacheth.  Be  not  over  bold, 
Nor  seek   too   much.     Content  thee   in   the 

mean, 
Thou  shalt  live  smoothly.     O  thou  Queen 
Whose  warning  finger  guarding  the  Hp, 
Whose  sinewy  Umbs  stript  bare  for  work 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  163 

Show  thee,  how  hardy,  yet  withal 

Forearmed  with  circumspection!     Thou 

Couldst  teach  us  whose  hot  blood 

Springeth,  a  mounted  flood, 

Prompt  for  all  turbulence, 

Fretting  at  bars,  leaping  them,  rushing  on 

To  ruin  sooner  than  hold  back! 

Service  is  freedom!     Chidden  reins,  locked 

lips, 
Proud  high  heart,  proud  bent  head,  stayed 

word : 
Having  these,  men  were  lords  of  the  earth. 
For   lordship   of  all   is   his   who   is    lord    of 

himself. 

O  proud  and  patient!     O  fire  of  the  chaste! 

O  flame 
Of  loveHness  meek  and  mute!     O  modestly 

wise! 
O  passion  of  love  in  bond!     O  bosom  kept 

down 
By  folded  arms  and  strait  girdle!     The  Gods 
Have    no    more    lovely,    no    more    delicate 

flower 
In  all  the  hedged  garden  where  God  is  the 

sun, 
And  the  flowers  God,  self-begot  of  his  own 

pure  beam! 
Thou   that  servest  and   waitest,   inherit  the 

earth! 


i64  THE  AGONISTS  ii 

Sailor 

The  worst  of  fortunes  be  averted ! 

Why  tarrieth  she  ?     What  would  she  there  ? 

Chorus 

Go  thou  and  seek  her.     A  fear  is  on  me. 
God  with  a  God  may  strive,  air  choke 
With  peahng  battle! 

Sailor 

Ay!  for  the  Theban  is  doughty,  and  She, 
The  Arcadian,  swifter  than  wind. 

Chorus 

Our  little  garden  plot 

Is  wasted  with  thunder,  all  the  flowers 

Hang  black.     They  die  amain. 

So  it  must  be  when  God  wrestles  with  God. 

The  powers  of  darkness  and  light. 

Powers  of  Earth  and  Heaven,  powers  of  sea, 

Strain,  lash  in  tumult  of  war! 

Sublime  above.  King  Zeus, 

With  motionless  eyelids,  setteth  his  gaze 

To  some  quick-burning  star 

And  lives  its  life,  as  He  lives  ours. 

So  throbs  in  his  work  the  craftsman! 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  165 

O  stranger,  go  thou,  seek  for  her! 
Seek  her,  the  king's  daughter. 

He   goes   without   more   words.     There   is   a   long 
silence.     They  hear  his  cry;  then  pray. 

Dorian  Crete,  whose  breathing  is  prayer, 

And  daily  task  a  sacrifice; 

Whose  acts  are  thanksgiving  of  the  thought; 

0  Crete,  where  Heaven's  lord. 

The  Thunderer,  nodding  o'er  the  world, 
Lay  for  a  space,  gathering  the  threads 
Of  all  his  lordship— Dorian  Crete! 

1  weep  for  thee,  I  know  the  word 

Is  past  that  never  these  eyes  shall  see  thee. 
O  Crete,  in  this  hour  I  weep  for  thee! 

[They  see  the  Sailor  coming  through  the  trees. 

Ah!  thus  her  peace  is  made.     Sisters, 
This  is  the  end. 

[He  comes  in  carrying  the  body  of  Ariadne. 


Sailor 

Peace!  for  ye  stand 
Facing  the  dead,  in  this  gentle  thing. 
So!  shroud  ye,  lift  your  dirge.     So,  life! 
So,  breath,  that  scarce  grew  thinner  for  thee! 
So,  light,  that  grew  the  gladder! 
Life,  breath  and  light  together 
Quenched     and     drowned,     quenched     and 
drowned ! 


i66  THE  AGONISTS  n 

Chorus 

Ai!  Ai!  my  joy,  my  darling  one! 

0  niggard  fate  of  thine! 

Sailor 

This  is  so  piteous,  even  God, 

1  think,  would  stoop  and  sorrow. 

Chorus 

God  rideth  his  wild  way. 

Whose  onset  may  be  trackt 

By  wringing  hands,  by  hopeless  eyes! 

Sailor 

Power  goeth  in  God;  Love  hath  no  place, 
But  only  majesty,  iron  law. 
That  cow  to  subservience — so  here, 
What  can  ye  do,  poor  women  ? 

Chorus 

Know 
Our  children  happy,  being  less  than  God, 
In  that  they  cannot  wreak  such  woe. 
Let  God  be  mighty;  but  let  man  love! 
And  loving,  be  happy  in  spite  of  God. 

They  compose  her  for  burial,  close  her  eyes,  cover 
her  face;  then  lay  her  in  the  midst. 


II  ARIADNE   IN  NAXOS  167 

Our  meagre  life  affords 
A  time  to  sin,  for  tears  a  little  time; 
Thereafter,  when  the  mower  whets  his  scythe, 
We  do  confess  ourselves  to  be  as  grass 
And  bow  us  down  to  the  sward. 
Yet  who  shall  put  unhappiness  in  this. 
Or  who,  when  so  much  travail  hangs  thereby, 
Crave  an  immortal  home  ? 
For  while  we  live  we  love,  and,  loved. 
Hold  hfe  a  sceptred  fee. 
But  the  Gods  love  not,  neither  die,  so  live 
Wretchedly,  not  as  we! 

O  sterile  Gods,  banned  by  their  own  disdain, 
Almighty,  vacantly  great. 
Starved,      pitiless,      unpitied,      feared      and 
shunned! 

How  shall  man  dream  or  how  declare 
The  chill  remoteness  of  God  .? 
Who  may  envy  Him  the  dearth 
And  silence  of  His  abode  ? 
Love  is  light  of  our  darling  earth — 
But  bleak  His  kingdom  and  bare. 
Where  man  goeth  lowly  in  his  mirth. 
Loveless  and  sunless  goeth  God. 


Ill 

THE   DEATH   OF   HIPPOLYTUS 


THE  ARGUMENT 

King  Minos,  driven  from  Crete,  seeks  refuge  from 
tempest  in  Sicily,  the  realm  of  Cocalus  his  enemy.  At 
the  same  hour  comes  Hippolytus,  son  to  Theseus  and 
Antiope,  driven  into  exile  by  the  thwarted  desires,  now 
turned  to  hate,  of  his  stepmother  Phaedra,  Minos' 
daughter  and  last  of  the  great  House.  She,  too,  half- 
repenting,  is  come  to  win  him  back  if  she  may.  Thus 
Minos  and  Theseus,  Crete  and  Athens,  meet  once  more 
in  their  children. 


PERSONS 

Minos  King  of  Crete. 
Chorus  of  Cretan  Priests. 
Artemis. 
Phaedra. 

HiPPOLYTUS. 

A  Messenger. 

The  Scene 

A  rocky  coast,  near  Agrigentum;  a  cliff  looking  over 
the  sea.  On  either  hand  a  steep  path  leads  down  to  the 
sea-beach.  The  time  is  afternoon  of  a  winter's  day. 
The  sky  is  clouded,  and  a  fitful  wind  makes  the  sea 
unrestful.  The  waves  break  upon  the  beach.  The 
sound  of  them  is  heard  throughout  the  action,  now 
furious,  now  lulled. 


THE   DEATH   OF   HIPPOLYTUS 

Minos  speaks  the  Prologue.  He  is  figured  as  an  old 
man  in  black  robes.  His  beard  is  long  and  grey.  He 
walks  with  a  staff. 

Minos 

Darkness  gathers,  and  boding  of  storm 
Upon  my  ways;  unfriended  1  go 
In  a  waste  land,  full  of  eyes  watching. 
Of  foemen  ambushed,  beset  by  the  sea, 
Barred  and  bastioned  by  the  high  rocks 
Whereout  looketh  no  issue  benign 
To  herald  peace,  with  gleam  like  a  shaft 
Of  amber,  low  in  the  sky  in  winter. 
Shock  upon  shock,  the  sea's  wild  armies 
Throb  at  the  cliffs;  and  I  stand  here 
An  old  man  exiled,  lost  to  honour, 
Power  or  the  homage  of  the  just — 
I,  who  was  Minos,  the  friend  of  Zeus. 

The   just   know   me   no   more,   nor   have 
known 
Since  Anger  held  me,  and  Malice  and  Clamour, 
Snarling  tenants,  entered  mc  in 
And  bayed  me  mad,  that  I  bit  at  Crete; 
173 


174  THE  AGONISTS  in 

And  she,  putting  up  both  her  hands, 
Feared  and  shrank:  then  great  in  vain! 
I,  friend  of  Zeus,  was  great  in  vain! 

They    smelt    the    spoil    from    afar.     The 

Achaian, 
Hungry  Megara  and  her  hordes 
Flocked   like   birds   that   search   the   watery 

leagues 
For  wrack;  and  the  fickle  sea. 
Once  a  broad  cincture  to  hold  us  inviolable, 
Staying,  bowing  herself  before  us. 
Forbad  them  not.     As  a  dark  cloud 
Of   evil    birds,    attendant    on    death,    they 

gathered. 
Watching  sideways,  eyeing  us  up  and  down, 
Blinking,  waiting  the  death-grapple 
Of  Crete  and  me,  till  Zeus  should  yield  me; 
Which    done,    they    hovered,    settled,    and 

feasted  long. 

So  sagged,  so  fell  the  goodly  tower 
Of  all  my  honour.     Renowned  Crete, 
Dorian  Crete,  whereof  I  was. 
The  which  I  was,  cast  me  out 
Empty-handed,  and  stood  to  see. 
With  estranged  eyes,  vacantly,  how  I  past 
Bent  to  my  yoke  of  shame;  so  we  took 
Ship,  and  the  sea  looked  wildly,  and  bared 
Defiant  teeth  which  hissed  upon  us 
Three  days,  three  nights  of  fitful  weather — 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      175 

Veering    winds,    countering    currents,    and 

snaps 
Of  flying  foam,  cold  in  our  faces; 
And  then  a  lull,  and  a  stupor  of  calm. 

Anon  sang  in  the  shrouds  a  great  wind. 
And  Heaven  was  black,  and  the  mews  rested 

not. 
Wailing,  drifting  about  us.     The  storm 
Leapt  sudden  upon  us,  rain  in  the  van, 
Driven  as  mist.     A  howling  wind 
Tore  up  the  sea;  the  sea  in  torment 
Writhed  in  that  clutch,  and  bare  for  birth 
Mountainous  water,  swift  ruin, 
A  swerving  death-floe,  a  smooth  pit 
Wherein  lay  ravening  death,  with  fear 
Cresting  the  wave's  wild  head.     I  saw 
The  lightning  flare  to  the  rim  of  the  water 
And  bodying  clamour,  lap  in  one  sheet 
Of  flame  the  world.     Therein  we  drave 
Two  days,  two  nights,  numb  to  the  heart, 
With  eyeballs  frozen,  rigid  hands, 
Blencht,  horrible  lips,  and  made  this  coast 
Spied  through  the  flitting  rain,  this  coast 
Of  low  grey  shore  thimdering  in  surf, 
Wet  rocks,  a  line  of  wind-bent  trees, 
A  long  white  shelf  of  beaten  water. 
Wherein  a  haven;  wherein  we  dropt 
Panting.     But  Zeus  the  unrelenting 
Turned  now  the  other  edge  of  his  blade 
To  score  our  hearts;  for  what  the  sea 
Had  hungered  in  vain,  Cocalus,  the  King 


176  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Of  this  waste  land,  grudged,  and  drew  sword 
To  front  me,  King  and  Hero,  and  to  prevail. 

The  Chorus  of  Priests,  robed  in  grey,  has  entered 
the  scene,  has  built  a  rude  altar  of  stones  and  lit  a  fire 
upon  it.  And  now  they  walk  round  about  it,  invoking 
the  Genius  of  the  land. 

Chorus 

As  to  a  mountain  holy. 

Peaked  in  blue  trembling  air, 

Anointed  by  the  glory  of  the  sun, 

Faltering  and  slowly 

I  lift  my  aching  eyes 

To  this  vague  land  that  lies 

As  a  proud  Queen  to  see  her  day-work  done, 

Breasting  the  southern  glamour,  and  slaves 

the  north 
To  fan  the  tresses  of  her  heavy  hair, 
And  with  her  stretcht-out  hands  draws  east 

and  west  in  one. 

For  rest  I  search  thine  eyes, 

For  rest  I  heed  thy  voice 

Calling   among   the  water-brooks  of  easeful 

things. 
Cool  are  the  winnowings 
And  full  of  solace  when  the  sun-glare  dies 
The  play  of  thy  great  wings 
Across  the  thick  of  dusk  with  hidden  noise. 
So  on  the  heart  of  night, 


m        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      177 

Beneath  thy  serious  eyes. 
Wrapt  in  the  silver  Hght 
About  thy  head  that  Hes, 
Lulled  by  the  mysteries 
And  soft  low  breathings  of  thy  still  delight, 
Let   me   faint   out   of  strife   where   sleep  is 
death's  surmise. 

Surely,  now  surely  succour  cometh  in. 

Surely  is  paid  the  sin 

And  past  the  burden  of  night! 

For  here  in  milder  air 

The  fading  day  smiles  meekly,  a  kinder  death 

Than  threatened  us  beneath 

The  crave  and  hunger  of  the  sea. 


Minos 

Well  may  ye  lift  your  hands! 

For  what  availeth  man  before  God  ? 


Chorus 

Nothing,  O  King,  in  this  pass. 

Swifter  than  hounds  he  singleth  the  wrong. 


Minos 

Evil  on  evil — do  I  not  know .'' 
But  do  the  Gods  hear  ? 


178  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Chorus 

Prayer  they  hear,  strained  hands  they  see, 
Smell  sacrifice. 

Minos 

Now  let  them  hear 
Me,  Minos,  in  my  last  throe — 
Me,  Minos,  dying  a  king. 

He  goes  to  the  altar  and,  taking  incense,  casts  it  on 
the  fire.     A  cloud  rises. 

Artemis,  hear  me  now! 

Thee,  chaster  than  blown  flowers. 

Holiest,  I  invoke. 

By  that  smooth  maid  of  thine, 

Arethusa,  that  here  in  this  land 

Kept  her  raiment  unsoiled 

And  fled  the  ravisher,  here  to  hide 

In  Ortygian  rocks  her  sinuous  grace, 

I  cry  to  thee,  Lady  of  Lakes, 

Lovely  upon  the  Mountains! 

If  ever  sacrifice  duly 
Were  done  in  Crete,  or  piety 
Of  offering  paid  and  taken; 
If  with  the  dance,  the  paean. 
Or  Hnked  chorus  of  maidens,  all 
Robed  in  the  saffron  delightful  to  thee; 
If  ever  one  life,  or  one  death 
Made  thee  one  sin's  amends 
Done  in  heat;  if  one  sire 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      179 

Held  marriage-vow,  or  one  wife 
Were  holy;  by  honourable  youth, 
By  age  venerable  under  diine  eyes; 
By  all  such  deeds  and  well-doers 
I  claim  thy  mercy.     Not  now  forsake 
These  thy  servants  who  stand 
By  me  in  perilous  hour. 
Artemis,  hear  thou  me! 

Chorus 
A  worthy  woro  of  thine,  proudly  spoken! 

Minos 

I  know  in  whom  I  believe. 

She,  being  proud,  misliketh  not  pride. 

Chorus  I 
I  know  it! 

Chorus  H 

Nay,  speak  low. 
She  whom  thou  soughtest  is  here. 

The  Goddess  Artemis  appears  out  of  the  altar- 
smoke,  clothed  in  silver,  shininf:^  to  the  feet.  ]\IiNOS 
covers  his  face.     The  Chorus  lift  up  their  hands. 

Artemis 

Few  thanks,  O  Minos,  from  me  to  thee 
For  my  fair  land  blight-bitten,  and  growth 
Of  weeds,  thy  planting,  on  clean  tilth, 


i8o  THE   AGONISTS  m 

Or  service  of  honour  and  sweet  breath 

Made  foul  and  unacceptable. 

Herein  offending,  take  thou  thy  wages. 

For  what  shall  profit  the  song  of  priests 
Gross  to  the  hps,  or  incense  burned 
On  shameful  shrines  .?     I,  Artemis, 
Delightful  in  worship  of  white  hands, 
How  shall  I  praise  thee  who  had  Pasiphae 
To  wife,  Pasiphae  rotten  with  sin  .? 
I  praise  thee  not,  nor  for  her  sin's  brood, 
Minos,  be  sure;  for  sin  must  breed 
A  spawn  of  sin,  and  she  who  polluted 
My  house  with  shrieking,  sent  thine  to  death. 

By  thy  offending  was  I  offended 
With  Crete,  my  garden;  thanks  to  thy  fault 
Never  was  sacrifice  duly  done. 
Nor  offering  paid,  nor  taken,  nor  ever 
In  dance  took  I  pleasure,  or  paean 
Or  linked  chorus.     Nor  could  one  Hfe, 
One  death  make  me  thy  fault's  amends — 
For  he  must  pay  that  runneth  the  reckoning. 
Therefore  no  sire,  careful  of  vows. 
Shall  salve  thee  careless;  nor  Cretan  wife 
Holy,  make  holy  Pasiphae; 
Nor  youth  be  lovely,  nor  age  venerable 
While  thine  makes  clamour  to  God. 

Claim  no  mercy  of  mine,  Minos, 
But  make  thee  ready.     Ariadne,  Androgeos 
Paying  thy  debts,  Phaedra  remaineth — 
To  do  what  she  shall  do,  to  pay  what  she 
must. 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      i8i 

Until  in  her  quench  the  kindled  fire 
Of  its  own  surfeited,  flagrant  course. 

Shall  I  praise  then  thy  house,  Minos  ? 
I  praise  it  not,  nor  thank  thee. 

Chorus 

O  fierce  and  cold!     O  Lady  of  Snows! 
Burn  us  not  so  with  thy  frosty  eyes! 

Minos 

That  which  is  done  is  done.     On  my  head 
Be  what  cometh.     I  stand  upright. 

Chorus 

Pride  is  oft-times  a  shield;  but  not  here. 
In  deep  waters  what  shield  availeth  ? 

Minos 

A  man  can  see  the  scope  of  his  eyne, 
Guard  the  strip  of  soil  that  he  seeth, 
And     guess     the     morrow  —  when     morrow 
cometh. 

Chorus 

The  household's  father  is  as  a  god: 
As     the     belled     sheep     Icadeth     the     flock 
followeth. 


i82  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Minos 

Your  weakness  then  is  my  added  sin! 

[He  turns  him  to  the  Goddess. 

Hearken,  Lady,  to  him  whose  quiver 
Is  empty,  and  he  left  mockworthy! 
Hard  have  I  Hved,  fought,  spent — if  well. 
Let  Zeus  remember;  if  ill,  then  Zeus 
Shall  trig  the  balance,  and  Nemesis 
Raving  abroad,  cut  me  down,  I  saying, 
'Tis    well    done!     But    let    her    be    speedy, 

strike 
Fair  and  true.     Dally  not,  Huntress. 
Let  Minos  the  King  die  in  arms. ., 


Chorus 


Tempt  not  God! 


Artemis 

This  was  a  man! 
Heed  me  now,  the  Bow-Bender, 
Queen  of  the  Winds,  the  Waters,  the  Hills, 
The  Open  Country  and  quiet  places 
That  lie  pure  from  the  taint  of  men. 
Because  thou  goest  with  fear  unacquainted, 
And  who  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it, 
And  who  fling  it  careless,  he  shall  reap — 
This  is  my  word:  there  swayeth  one  life. 
Dear  to  me,  caught  in  a  flood. 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      183 

Of  passion — not   his — which    if  thy   House 

save, 
That  act  shall  save  thee.     Yet  if  it  fail, 
Seeing  thou   art  old,   and   undimmed    thine 

eye, 
Take  thou   this  further  grace.     Thou   shalt 

die, 
Minos,  but  die  in  arms. 

Heed   well   this   spoken   word,   nor  think   to 

amend  it. 
A  man's  sin  only  himself  can  shrive. 

The  image  of  the  Goddess  fades,  and  the  fire  dies 
down. 

Chorus 

Mystery!     The  King  is  alone, 

A  stranger  treading  a  strange  land. 

No  son  remains  to  him,  none  of  his  line 

But  Phaedra,  queening  in  Athens.     And  she, 

What  shall  she  do,  in  a  strange  land  .? 

[Minos  sits  and  broods. 

In  the  dim  fields  of  time. 

Ere  yet  were  cities  in  Crete 

To  blossom  their  hundredfold; 

Or  when  as  yet  were  not  the  stablisht  towns, 

Cnossus  nor  Gortyna; 

Nor  yet  to  the  Twelve  Gods  given 

The  soothful  homage  of  rhyme — 


1 84  THE  AGONISTS 


III 


Squarely    stood    upon    earth,    raftered    with 

goodly  beams, 
The  house  that  Minos  the  King 
Reared  for  his  high-got  race. 
Sprung  from  Zeus  that  sendeth  the  thunder 

down! 
Fair  was  the  hall  for  guests,  the  greeting  they 

gave 
Fair,  and  the  sending,  how  it  was  bhthe  and 

brave! 

Sing  now  the  deeds  of  the  Bull* 

That  bore  Agenor's  meek  daughter 

On  the  sheer  bulk  of  his  strength 

To  the  chalk  cliff  in  the  dark  blue  water! 

Pasturing  Phaestos  was  glad,  and  sang 

The  hills  at  the  wondrous  birth 

Of  the  sons  of  the  son  of  Cronos,  Sarpedon 

mighty  of  girth. 
And  Minos!     Minos,  the  searcher  of  hearts, 

judge  of  the  earth! 
How  was   the   house  goodly   for   feast   and 

sleep; 
Who  shall  tell  the  foundations,  for  they  were 

deep! 

Laughed  all  the  land,  for  the  ships 
Gathered  the  spoils  of  the  sea; 
Tyre  yielded  her  increase,  the  cities  of  old, 
Ophir  and  Zend,  paid  tribute;    Egypt  that 
lips 

I  Zeus. 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      185 

First  the  frontal  of  day  made  offering  due 
To  the  Pride  of  the  sea  of  the  sea's  first- 
fruits  ! 
High  on  a  throne  graved  in  the  face  of  the 

rock, 
Set  to  the  sea  and  the  caved  sky  and  the  ships, 
Judged  the  chosen  of  Zeus,  Minos,  Searcher 

of  hearts. 
Shall  the  pride  of  the  house  ever  be  full, 
Or  ever  fall  down  the  tower  of  the  Sons  of 
the  Bull  ? 

Thrice  nine  winters,  nine  summers,  did  he 

doom  for  our  Lord, 
He,  Minos,  famihar  friend  of  King  Zeus. 
All  wisdom,  all  knowledge  were  his,  all  force 

of  the  sea. 
Poseidon  that  shaketh  the  land  held  him  for 

friend ; 
He  was  dreadful,  he  knew  no  end! 
But   tell    of  the    end    of   Britomart,    white- 
shouldered  maid. 
Of  Sarpedon  the  end,  of  Daedalus,  cunning 

of  hand; 
Of  Megara  what  hath  he  made  ^ 
Nay,  but  Pasiphae,  blood-tressed  queen,  let 

me  sing,  and  her  deed  without  name! 
For     woe     brooded    over     the     house,    and 

stealthily  came 
Darkness,  and    rending   apart,  and  wailing, 

and  shame. 


i86  THE  AGONISTS  m 

What  shall  wisdom  avail, 

Or  knowledge  profit  a  man  ? 

How  shall  Peace  go  abroad 

To  smile  and  plenish  the  land, 

Where  Love  is  not,  but  Lust? 

Lust  drieth  to  dust; 

Sin  enters,  and  pale 

Care  doth  hanker,  and  Trust 

Shivereth,  falleth  to  fail. 

Pasiphae!     Out!     She  sinned  and  fell  down 

Clogged  in  the  mire  of  her  shame; 

Swift  Androgeos,  leaping  for  battle,  fell,  and 

so  fell 
Sweet-bosomed    Ariadne   with    love   on   her 

lips. 
Alas,  who  of  them  all  remaineth  to  tell  ? 
Dwindles  the  pride  of  the  house  that  was 

forceful  and  keen. 
The   wild    nettle    blows   where    proud    lilies 

have  been! 

Chorus  I 
One  remaineth! 

Chorus  H 
Cometh! 

Chorus  HI 

To  battle  with  death! 


m        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      187 

Chorus  IV 
What  is  thy  thought  ? 

Chorus  V 

I  know  It! 

Chorus  VI 

Phaedra  is  near. 

Chorus 

Phaedra   resteth,   of  ruinous    beauty,   white 

with  desire! 
O  gloomy,  ravenous  eyes, 
O  hair  black  as  the  plumes  of  night! 
Phaedra,  of  smouldering  eyes 
Fired  with  the  mutter  of  fire. 
The  burnt  mouth  of  desire. 
And  writhing  fingers  of  fever  and  fire! 
Phaedra,  of  snake-black  hair 
And  searching  face  of  a  wolf! 
Lo,  a  scalding  drop  of  Pasiphae's  blood 
Hissed  on  the  white  of  her  flesh, 
And  gave  her  a  thirst  never  to  tire. 
Phaedra,  Phaedra,  lo,  for  an  end  of  song! 
To  the  house  she  resteth  alone  for  ransom  or 

wrong. 

Minos 

What  sing  ye  of  Phaedra,  my  last  flower, 
The  last  flower  of  my  marriage-wreath  ? 


1 88  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Chorus  I' 

By  tingling  blood  I  know  her  here 
In  this  empty  land. 

Chorus  II 

Is  she  here  ? 
The  red  dawn's  issue  cometh  to  pass. 
Listen  ye  to  the  mourning  wind. 

In  a  pause  of  listening,  the  wind  is  heard  shrilling. 
The  shock  of  the  waves  increases. 

Thro'  the  gates  of  the  storm, 

Down  the  mass'd  battalions  of  air, 

Full  of  the  whistling  fear 

Wherewith  it  shaketh  us, 

Phaedra  coming  with  swiftly  seeking  eyes, 

And  the  grudge  that  never  dies! 

Phaedra  comes  swiftly  up  the  path  from  the  shore, 
and  stands  at  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  looking  at  Minos, 
who  sees  her,  but  gives  no  sign.  The  Chorus  hail  her 
with  a  wailing  chant. 

Phaedra!     Pasiphae's  child! 
Alone  on  the  torrent  of  fate — 
Thee  now  Judgment  and  Vengeance  await, 
Stained  with  the  stain  that  defiled. 
The  spot,  the  smirch  and  the  stain 
Of  a  spurned  love  bitten  wild 
To  torture  of  pain! 

O  marr'd  visage,  never  to  gladden  again. 
For   never   can   be   forgiven   the   soilure   of 
love; 


Ill        DEATH  OF   HIPPOLYTUS      189 

On   the   soul   that  sinneth   must  fall  wrath 

from  above 
Till  the  debt  be  lain. 
Phaedra!     Phaedra!     Lo,    for    an    end    of 

See  in  the  low  clouds  warpmg  the  land 
Phaedra,  last  of  the  Cretans,  at  hand. 

Minos  (muttering) 
I  see  her,  Phaedra,  once  my  child. 

Chorus  (watching  the  two) 

As  when  two  lions  on  the  waste 

That  sudden  meet,  dare  not  forego 

The  grudge  they  owe, 

And  greet  not,  neither  eye  each  other, 

But  stand  awaiting  the  fate 

That  works  askance  in  the  mind — 

So  here  of  royal  race  the  sire  and  whelp 

Stand  grimly  cognizant;    nor  passes  between 

Their  lockt  lips  one  All  hail!  or   Blest  art 

thou! 
O  storm-beset!     O  driven  apart! 

[Phaedra  has  now  approached  Minos. 

Phaedra 

With  no  rejoicing,  nor  memories, 
Nor  leap  of  nature  to  nature  do  I, 


I90  THE   AGONISTS  m 

Queen  of  Athenians,  greet  thee,  Cretan — 
Once  king,  now  exile  under  a  ban, 
Journeying  no  more  surely  nor  gladly 
Than  I.     Am  I  so  sure  or  so  glad  ? 
Death-bound  art  thou;  and  I,  fate-bitten, 
Drive  where  I  must,  by  passion  urged. 

Minos 
An  ill  team  hales  thy  car. 

Phaedra 
A  darker  evil  flogs  the  steeds. 

Minos 

Woe  on  our  house!     The  air  is  thick 

With  hurrying  clouds,  and  wave  leaps  wave, 

Emulous  which  shall  gulph  the  ship! 

Chorus 
Hark!  the  Erinnyes  riding  the  storm. 

Phaedra 
Madder  the  storm  that  screameth  within. 

Minos 
Better  meet  death,  and  so  end  all. 


Ill        DEATH  OF   HIPPOLYTUS      191 

Chorus 

Look  to  it,  ye!     The  Goddess  revealed 
A  way  to  escape  Pasiphae's  debt — 
O  sin-dabbled,  wreckt  Pasiphae! 

Phaedra  (stung) 

How  say  ye,  slaves,  that  speak  ill  of  a  queen 
To  me  a  queen  ? 

Chorus 

I  stand  in  a  case 
Where  ancient  wrong  stares  horribly. 

Phaedra 

Go  to!     Where  fate  drives,  sin  is  not. 
Necessity  doth  bind  us. 

Chorus 
How  shall  be  named  her  deed  ? 

Phaedra 

Out,  dogs,  that  spurn  but  the  fallen — 

jackals  yelping  a  lion's  track! 

Dead  is  that  queen  that  nurtured  ye 

With  kindly  offices,  in  and  out, 

A  mother  to  your  tribe! 

She  is  dead,  she  is  dead;   and  her  fault. 

Irresistible,  sudden, 


192  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Dead  too,  atoned  by  death, 

And  shame  which  is  death  in  life. 

Shall  not  the  Gods  give  over  ?     And  ye, 

If  they  rest,  shall  ye  not  give  over  ? 

A  trip!     And  your  tongues  a-vs^agging! 

Reproaches  of  you,  with  mud,  not  blood 

In    the    veins!      (To  Minos)      And    on    you 

shamxe. 
King  once,  and  now  a  slave 
Whipt  by  your  slaves! 


Minos 

O  Phaedra, 
Peace  with  the  dead!     And  on  us 
Be  peace  if  thou  wilt;  for  thus  Artemis, 
Gleaming  white  from  the  heart  of  the  fire. 
Spake  even  now:  If  my  house  save  a  Hfe, 
That  act  saveth  me,  thy  father,  and  thee, 
Last  of  my  line.     Peace  now  to  the  dead, 
And  to  the  living  an  end  of  strife. 

[Phaedra  reflects,  and  then  speaks  suddenly. 


Phaedra 
Rehearse  that  word  of  God. 

Minos 
Tell  her  the  doom  of  the  Goddess. 


xir        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      193 

Chorus 

Thus  and  thus  uttered  She 

That  haunts  the  fallows  when  days  are  young, 

And  is  discerned  in  the  wind  of  dawn: 

"Trembles  a  life  beloved  of  me, 

Swayed  in  floods  of  riotous  breath, 

Not   his    breath — which    if  thy   house    shall 

save, 
So  shall  the  act  save  thee  and  thy  house." 

Phaedra 

Here  is  a  marvel,  worthy  of  wonder! 
Such  life  have  I  to  pluck  from  the  grave; 
Such  have  followed  over  the  sea, 
Resting  not,  staying  not,  ever  pursuing. 
Courage  then,  falter  not,  be  not  afraid. 

Chorus 

Thou  that  art  last  shall  be  first, 
Ransomer  of  thy  land! 

Now  therefore  boldly  unto  the  Reaper  stand 
With  entreaty  and   prayer  washed  o\X'r  thy 

hardy  eyes, 
That  he  yield,  ere  the  king  dies, 
And  we  die! 

Phaedra 

Ye!     Nay,  not  ye. 
Such  as  ye  God  strikes  not, 


194  THE  AGONISTS  m 

But  leaves  to  rot  and  return 

Into  the  mould.     But  such  as  have  force 

To  dare  him  he  strikes.     Me  ere  long, 

Hardily  daring,  he  well  may  strike, 

If  I,  counting  the  price. 

Dare  all  for  one  crown  of  joy. 

The  man  liveth  yet  whom  your  Goddess,  not 

mine, 
Regardeth — Hippolytus,  son  to  my  lord, 
Whom  to  sin  once  I  tempted. 

Minos 
Thou  temptedst  him .? 

Phaedra 

Ay,  for  I  loved. 

Minos 
Treachery  ? 

Phaedra 

Traitress  sooner 
To  a  man  than  a  God.     Eros  with  a  torch 
Set   the   fire   to   my   heart;    and    the   flame 

leaped. 
Enkindled  the  brain,  made  me  cunning. 

Minos 
Thou  toldest  thy  love .? 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      195 

Phaedra 

I  whispered  it 
By  night,  in  words  that  tripped  each  other. 
And  in  my  palms  my  nails  drew  blood; 
And  in  the  sockets  my  eyes  were  dry. 


And  he .? 


Minos 


Phaedra 


He  was  very  still. 
He  trembled.     But  when  I  touched  him 
Turned,  white  and  fierce,  upon  me. 

Minos 
Phaedra,  what  then  .? 

Phaedra 

In  my  chamber. 
Padding  the  floor,  up  and  down, 
Fighting  thro'  dark  which  beat  like  hot  waves, 
Opening,  shutting  fans  of  madness, 
I  spent  the  night  and  the  day. 

Minos 
Phaedra,  what  then  ? 


196  THE   AGONISTS  m 

Phaedra 

All  my  love 
Seethed  like  gall.     Loving  I  entered 
The  chamber,  hating  came  out, 
Craving  him  cold  as  once  the  heat. 
I  compassed  his  wreck. 

Minos 

How? 

Phaedra 

His  father, 
My  husband,  I  sought,  with  cozening  words 
Writhing,  coiling  about  my  tongue. 
Of  violence  offered  me  by  Hippolytus. 
He  curst  his  son,  drave  him  abroad 
Out  of  the  city,  out  of  his  lands; 
Prayed  Poseidon,  the  Earth-Girdler, 
Boon  for  boon,  that  by  all  the  thanks 
He,  God,  owed  him,  mortal. 
Requital  swift  on  the  youth  Hippolytus — 
Malice  of  the  inconsolate  sea, 
Chill  death  on  the  sea-beach, 
Unhallowed — here,  not  in  Attica, 
Lest  death  unconsecrate  smirch  that  land 
And  curse  the  invoker  of  cursing. 
The  which  achieved,  soon  I  repented; 
Loving  again — him  now  I  am  come 
To  save,  to  succour,  to  see. 
Let  Artemis  joy — and  live  thoul 


in        DEATH  OF   HIPPOLYTUS      197 

Minos 

Save  him,  daughter;  but  save  thyself. 
'Tis  thou  art  the  slave,  not  I. 

Chorus 
O  dark-browed  queen,  look  not  so  fatal! 

Phaedra  (to  herself) 

A  bitter  seed  in  my  heart's  croft 
Sows  sharp  discord.     My  fair  dreaming 
Shattered  lies.     I  must  renounce 
All  I  builded  so  high. 

But  he  will  come  again, 

My  beloved,  and  needs 

Must  look  on  me.     He  will  scorn  me. 

Yet  I  shall  see  his  eyes! 

Minos 

See  him  not.     But  cry  to  Poseidon, 
Confessing  thy  fault. 

Phaedra 

To  see  him  I  came — 
To  see  him  once  more — to  speak  with  him 

— touch  him! 
Once  more  to  touch  liim! 


198  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Minos 
Thou  hatest  ?     Or  lovest  ? 

Phaedra 

Love — hate — are  they  not  one  ? 
I  need  him — he  draws  me — all  my  body 
Acheth  for  him.     Ah,  Gods,  give  me  ease! 
I  die,  Gods!     I  burn! 

Chorus 

See  how  her  passion  tears  at  her! 
See  where  her  palms  have  clencht 
The  dark  blood  wells  and  spreads! 
O  fatal  seed  of  Zeus  grafted  in  her! 

(To  Minos) 

But  thou,  thus  worn  and  weariful, 
Withdraw   thyself  a   space   from   wind   and 

storm. 
Watchful  that  mercy  break  the  dark  clouds 

thro'. 
Streaming  like  pennons  of  the  issuing  day. 

Phaedra 

On  me  reclined,  seek  we  the  tents. 
Whence,  thou  asleep,  I'll  work  for  all. 

She  withdraws  Minos  from  the  scene,  leading  him 
to  the  tents.     The  storm  is  now  high  and  fierce. 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      199 

Chorus 

Her  pride  shall  be  as  a  tower 

To  endure  for  a  day! 

But  the  tide  riseth,  the  waterfloods  leap, 

Poseidon  shaketh  the  reins;  all  the  deep 

Groweth  hungry  and  grey — 

Then  at  hand  is  the  hour! 

See,  like  a  bleacht  dog-wolf 
Outmastered  by  his  whelp. 
Timorous  goeth  the  King,  in  doubt, 
Bending  before  the  fury  he  bred, 
And  her  feverous  calm. 

O  of  all  punishments  the  worst 

And  hardest  to  be  borne. 

To  see  himself  distorted  in  her  soul! 

O  sharper  than  the  thorn. 

Than  aloe-spike  more  resolutely  keen, 

Unendurable  scorn. 

That  he  who  sinneth  once 

Cannot  thereafter  sorrow  and  do  well, 

But  sows  a  fatal  seed 

Of  shame  where  might  renew  honour's  old 

citadel. 
Herein,  methinks.  Fate  urges  hard, 
And  flinty  the  heart  of  God, 
Since  man  to  sin  by  necessary  force 
Drifteth,  nor  can  retard 
The  swirling  pit  that  sucks  him  deeply  down 


200  THE  AGONISTS  m 

To  death,  where  Fortune  guides  his  neigh- 
bour's course 

To  equal  unearned  glory  and  reward. 

But  harder  yet  the  scourges  of  the  rod, 

That  not  content  with  death 

Nor  the  labour  of  choked  breath, 

Brandeth  his  seed  till  the  tide  of  woe  be 
run! 

Chorus  I 

Give  over,  give  over,  I  hear  the  tramp 
Of  horses,  the  groaning  of  wheels! 

[They  look  to  the  shore  below. 

Chorus  II 
Lo,  a  traveller  headeth  the  gale! 

Chorus  III 
His  cloak  is  a  banner,  sport  of  the  wind! 

Chorus  IV 

He  holdeth  his  spear  that  the  fury  may  not 

prevail. 
Nor  shake  his  well-knitted  limbs. 

Chorus  V 

He  scorneth  to  look  behind 
At  the  wide  ruin  of  foam. 


Ill        DEATH   OF  HIPPOLYTUS      201 

Chorus  VI 

And  see!     He  beareth  for  crest 
The  Sphinx  winged  and  fierce. 

Chorus  I 

Tender  of  years,  Athenian,  nobly  born; 
Poseidon  he  holdeth  in  scorn — 
That  setteth  the  look  of  a  hawk  to  the  storm 
And  smileth  at  ease. 

Chorus  H 

This,  this  is  he,  that  should  earn  our  sur- 
cease. 

HippoLYTus  drives  his  chariot  up  the  steep  road 
from  the  shore.     The  Chorus  hail  him. 

Chorus 

Hail,    O    King's    son,    that    lightest    on    the 

weary! 
Hold — that  thy  light  depart  not  those  that 

grieve. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

If  king  got  me,  no  king  calleth  me  son. 

Chorus 

Yea,    but    I    know    thee    sprung    from    the 
Amazon, 


202  THE   AGONISTS 


III 


From  battle-breathing  Antiope, 
And  Theseus,  tamer  of  men! 
Thou  Sun-anointed,  begot  of  splendid  wed- 
lock, 
Thou  nervy  hunter,  Hippolytus, 
I  know  what  gloomy  fate 
And  hoarse  envious  breath 
Urgeth  thee  on  to  abjure 
Thy  pride  of  estate! 

Hippolytus 
What  I  must  bear  let  my  shoulders  suffice. 

Chorus 

Nay,  surely  some  blessed  God 
Favours  thee! 

Hippolytus 

Still  I  serve — 
As  once  in  life,  now  in  death. 

Chorus 

Often  the  Gods  seem  harsh,  and  man 
Driven  thereby  to  riot. 

Hippolytus 

Shall  a  man,  then,  impoverish  himself.? 
If  God  sink,  man  may  stand  upright, 
True  to  the  God  he  has  made. 


Ill        DEATH  OF   HIPPOLYTUS      203 

Chorus 
What  God  thinkest  thou  to  make  ? 

HiPPOLYTUS 

I  make  but  of  that  which  I  find, 
Elemental,  veined  in  the  earth: 
Here  fleeting  kindness,  grace  of  tears, 
And    here    swift    flight    to    a    mark;    here 

patience. 
Long  watching,  service  pure,  glad  eyes, 
Clean  Umbs;  rejoicing;  giving  of  thanks — 
For  of  such  I  think  God  is. 

Chorus 

Thou  thinkest! 
Stricken  to  exile,  cursed  by  kindred! 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Unjustly  stricken,  wounded  sore, 
I  hold  such  nothing  to  my  loss. 

Chorus 
What  hast  thou  lost,  Hippolytus  .? 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Faith. 
Faith  in  the  earth.  How  should  ye  know. 
Who  know  not  my  search,  my  empty  soul 


204  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Anhungered  ?     Oh,  I  lived  tranquil  days 

In  the  deme  where  Athens  feels  the  sea 

Smihng  towards  her,  in  the  cleft 

Between  the  hills'  breasts,  seamless  of  scar 

Or  jut  of  rock;  between  the  hills 

Where  hides  the  temple  of  Artemis, 

The  Huntress,  Delian-born. 

I  lived  there  tranquil  in  wind  and  sun, 

Tanned  by  the  wind,  by  sun  made  ripe, 

To  growth  in  service  chaste,  since  I 

To  the  chaste  Goddess  was  dedicate. 

From  my  youth  upward.     Tender  I  made 

Of  body  and  mind,  yet  saw  her  never. 

Nor  knew — yet  felt  her  there  in  the  wind. 

In  morning  glory  of  sun,  in  moonlight. 

In  whisper  of  leaves  and  sighing  breath  of 

the  pines — 
But  saw  at  last. 

Like  the  wind's  spirit, 
Like  the  wind's  spirit  in  open  lands, 
A  young  wild  maiden,  with  hounds  astrain. 
Stood  in  the  wood,  and  looked  and  wondered. 

White  shone  her  shoulder  in  the  still  wood- 
land, 
White  her  knee  under  green  kirtle; 
Peering  she  stood,  astart  like  a  bird 
To  flutter  of  leaves.     Swift  then  a  smile 
Rayed  like  a  morning  flush  upon  her. 
Sunned  her  serious  gaze  and  met  me, 
Worshipping  there  with  beating  heart. 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      205 

I  saw  the  blue  beam  of  her  wide  eyes, 
Her  carven  throat  and  still  raiment; 
Whispered  her  name,  as  now  I  do. 
Lifted  hands,  made  my  thanksgiving: 
"O  thou  miracle,  spirit  of  pure  breath, 
God  be  thanked  for  the  glory  he  made  in 

thee!" 
I  loved  a  Goddess.     Never  since  then  this 

world 
Held  a  woman  for  me. 


Chorus 
Thou  servest  well.    We  of  Crete  serve  her. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

I  had  served  unknowing;  now  served  I  on 

With  reasons  for  my  praises; 

Adored  her  when  sun  smote  the  sea's  cold 

rim 
To  sudden  fire;  in  the  moon's  fair  phases 
Made  faithful  tender  of  sober  days; 
Gave  her  the  breath  of  wholesome  life, 
Guerdon  of  body,  guerdon  of  mind, 
Worship  of  limbs;  for  thus 
She  will  be  served  that  loveth  in  us 
Prepossession  that  foileth  sin. 
So    I   waxt   strong,    and    with    strength    too 

praised  her 
Till  that  day  dawned  that  I  may  not  name. 


2o6  THE   AGONISTS  in 

Chorus 
Ah,  but  I  know  it! 

HiPPOLYTUS 

O  pool  of  sin! 
The  fair  woman  desecrate; 
Lust  in  love  and  lust  in  hate! 
Bright  breasts  with  milk  of  gall, 
Fierce  hps  that  would  suck  all 
Honour  out,  and  kissing  find 
Honour  in  the  unclean  mind. 
Phaedra,  child  of  Peitho's  brood. 
Bred  this  cancer  in  my  blood; 
Made  love  unlovely,  unmirthed  mirth, 
Garbed  in  scum  the  daedal  earth. 

Chorus 

O  greater  horror  than  this  hour! 
Speak  on  and  fill  the  cup  of  this  wrath. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

I,  curst  ahke  of  Gods  and  Father — 

When  he  that  did  beget  me 

Held  me  the  traitor  they  perjur'd  me. 

With  curses  thrust  me  out,  and  charged 

Poseidon  to  make  an  end — 

Not  slow  to  meet  him,  now  call  on  death. 


m        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      207 

Chorus 

The  storm  thickens  and  grows! 

The  spears  of  the  army  of  death, 

Bare  as  the  wild  boar's  teeth, 

Gleam  for  their  glutting  of  blood. 

Soul  of  a  God,  grudged  by  God,  to  thy  foes 

Abandoned,  and  shame  beneath 

The  licking  and  suck  of  the  flood; 

To  the  rage  of  the  wind  that  blows, 

And  the  fear  that  grows! 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Nay,  I  am  ripe  for  death 
Whom  Love  hath  despised. 
My  soul  it  hath  agonised: 
What  should  my  body  fear .'' 

Chorus 

O  son,  wait  still  upon  Love, 

For  he  dwelleth  here; 

Tho'  see  him  ye  may  not  nor  hear 

Even  the  lilt  of  his  wings. 

He  hovereth  near. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Yea,  for  within  me  sings 
A  clear  voice,  saying,  Fast 
Take  up  heart,  for  at  last 


2o8  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Lighteth  Love  upon  earth — 
And  thy  torment  bypast. 

Chorus 

Love  is  near  to  the  birth: 

Soon  Hke  the  morning  star 

He  shall  guide  thee  where  gardens  are, 

And  fountains  of  sweet  water, 

And  an  end  of  war. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Maybe  the  swift  daughter 

Of  Leto,  the  girdled,  the  pure, 

Artemis  eager  and  sure. 

Will  snatch  me  that  served  her  ever 

From  Hades'  allure. 

Chorus 

Thou  shalt  'scape  the  fret  and  the  fever. 

Thou  that  art  white! 

Thou  shalt  pass  in  the  night 

As  the  worn  soul  from  the  breath  of  a  man. 

And  the  end  be  hght! 

Let  her  forget  thee  not!     But  hold. 

Let  her  defend  thee;  for  Theseus'  wife 

Cometh  with  evil  on  her  brows 

Ridging    them    straight    over    her    waiting 

eyes. 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      209 

O  full  of  injuries! 

O  thou  that  holdest  Crete 

In  the  throes  of  thy  forceful  hands, 

Phaedra,  look  to  the  saving  that  lies 

As  a  spell,  as  a  wonder-stroke. 

Mute,  till  thou  bid  it  rise! 


HiPPOLYTUS 

Hold  ye;   nay,  withdraw  yourselves  rather. 
For  the  issue  is  mine,  and  is  now. 

He  descends  from  his  chariot,  and  stands  to  meet 
Phaedra.     The  Chorus  prepare  to  withdraw. 


Chorus 

A  dread  encounter,  fraught  with  fate! 

Lo,  in  this  injured  one. 

Under  death's  eyes,  our  life; 

And  she  who  drew  him  within  their  dreadful 

scope 
Must  save,  or  all  must  perish! 
Come,  let  us  pray  awhile 
With  hands  uplifted  to  our  patron  Gods: 
Guardians     of     Crete!      Artemis,     Pythian 

Apollo! 

They  withdraw  to  the  back  of  the  altar.  The  wind 
blows  furiously.  Phaedra  enters,  battling  against  it. 
She  stops  when  she  sees  Hippolytus;  then  comes 
slowly  and  stealthily  forward  until  she  is  close  to  him. 
Her  movements  are  those  of  a  leopardess. 


210  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Phaedra 
No  rest!     I  have  no  rest. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

What  dost  thou  seek  ? 

Phaedra 

Ease. 
I  am  tormented.     I  follow  thee. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

To  see  the  end  ?     Trust  Poseidon. 
Hark  to  him  now. 

Phaedra 

O  what  has  death  to  do  with  thee  ? 
Grey  death — and  thy  sanguine  life! 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Drained  of  honour,  'tis  wan. 

Phaedra 
Honour!     Thou  hast  it.     I  give  it  thee. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Thou .? 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      211 

Phaedra 

Power  is  honour. 
Minos  dieth;  Crete  falleth  mine. 
I  give  thee  Crete. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

What  canst  thou  give  ? 
Peace,  let  me  die.  I  ask  nothing  of  thee 
But  that. 

Phaedra 

To  wrangle  I  came  not. 
Rather  to  sue. 

HiPPOLYTUS 

As  master  of  slave, 
A  goad  in  thy  hand,  woman. 

Phaedra 

0  not  to  add  a  curse 

To  those  thou  fightest  I  come! 
But  to  redeem  thy  life,  and  mine, 
Self-martyred  by  reproach  not  tolerable. 

1  do  repent,  Hippolytus — 
I  would  repair!  Give  me 
Thy  pardon! 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Peace,  let  me  die. 


212  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Phaedra 

Thou  hast  prevailed  and  mastered  me! 
I  will  keep  peace,  and  thou  shalt  have  it 
So  but  thou  kiss  me. 


HiPPOLYTUS 

Kiss  thee  ? 
Forgive  thee  ?     Why  should  I  not  ? 
Consecrate,  I,  to  death;  see  now 
I  kiss  thee,  Queen.     Be  mother  of  sons 
That  shall  be  kings  if  thou  learn  queenship. 
Pass  to  more  honour,  and  I  to  death 
More  smoothly,  since  purged  of  anger. 

[He  kisses  her.     She  shivers,  then  clings  to  him. 


Phaedra 

Not  thy  bright  blood,  O  lord! 

Nor  death  if  I  could  encompass  thee 

So  with  my  arms,  so  with  my  mouth, 

That  we  twain  might  fly  clinging  together, 

Conjoint  in  bliss!     Or  if  death  must  be 

In  wait  for  the  twain,  let  us  heap  up 

Our  life-draught  full,  passing  in  swoon, 

Contented  that  one  wild  joy 

Hath  crowned  our  thirst  and  left  us  filled! 

[He  rejects  her. 


m        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      213 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Away,  away! 

Seek  not  again  to  sting  in  my  wound, 

Nor  add  one  shame  to  the  marks  I  bear. 

Phaedra 

Thou  kissedst  me!     By  the  Paphian's  fire 
And  all  her  flames,  leave  not  thou  me! 

HiPPOLYTUS 

Now,  by  thy  brows  benign, 
Artemis,  bend  down  thy  face  to  me! 

[Her  arms  are  about  him. 

Phaedra 

See  now,  my  lips  are  a  pasture-ground. 
Mine  eyes,  see,  they  are  brimmed  with  love! 
See  my  cheeks,  are  they  fresh  ?     Is  my  side 

cool  ? 
Is  here  a  blossom  worthy  to  pluck  .? 
Treasured  for  thy  strong  harvesting,  lord ! 

[He  sees  her  not,  nor  regards  her. 
HiPPOLYTUS 

O  thou  foolish,  insensible. 

Whom  worm  hath  bitten,  and  made 

Within  thy  heart  his  cancerous  nest, 


214  THE  AGONISTS  in 

And    seared    thine    eyes,    and    blotted    the 

world — 
Learn  of  the  wreck  thou  hast  made  of  mine, 
Of  that  fair  garden,  once  my  world! 


When  thro'  thy  deed  I  first  blasphemed 
The  cradling  Hght  that  held  us  both, 
Scared  to  panic,  o'er  land  and  sea. 
O'er  sea  and  land  and  sky  I  ranged, 
Crying  in  empty  realms  of  the  air, 
"Thou  Spirit  of  Life,  appear,  be  seen! 
Kill  me,  but  openly;  let  me  see 
Thy  fair  cruel  face,  that  I  once  knew  kind!" 
The  blue  stared,  and  the  naked  sun 
Pitiless  cut  my  eyes.     The  blood 
Masked  them,  that  thro'  the  film  flared  red 
The  very  sky;  so  I  knew,  not  there 
Dwelt  he,  but  only  hatred  and  strife. 
God  was  not;  but  only  Enormity. 

Then  in  my  pain  I  turned  to  the  hills. 
The  lonely  mountains,  whose  gazing  peaks 
Climb  out  of  ken  and  bathe  in  the  silence. 
Of  old  how  lovely!     But  out  of  them 
Love  spake  nothing.     An  eagle  screamed 
Above  a  lamb  leagues  under  him; 
And  the  rock  stared  with  sightless  eyes 
On  murder  brooding.     I  dared  the  front 
Of  lapping  mists,  quiet  as  the  snow. 
Where  vast  in  th'  obscure  I  saw  dim  forms, 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      215 

Saw   gleams    rending   the    dark — heard    the 

crying 
As  of  great  storms,  and  pent-back  seas 
Imminent  with  ruin  and  bulk  of  death, 
Not  coexistent  with  Love,  nor  coequal. 
I    shrieked — Where    such    terror    may    be, 

seek  never 
For    love!     Seek    the    earth — and    fell    my 

length 
With  buried  face  in  her  breathing  breast, 
'Mong  flowers  and  clinging  grasses,  swept 
To  and  fro  by  the  wind.     Then  slyly 
Came  lust  to  leer — out  of  thine  eyes, 
Woman!  and  rent  the  earth  amain 
To  an  open  grave,  still  yawning  for  me, 
Filled  with  the  rotting  bones  of  love, 
Murdered.     I  sought  the  calm  of  the  sea: 
Poseidon,  couching  in  mantle  grey. 
Turned  me  from  all  his  laughing  places, 
Where  the  sun  sheds  a  welter  of  gold, 
Or  the  wide  water  sways  in  sleep. 
To  face  dismay  of  rocks  and  scars, 
Where  dominion  is  to  the  snake  and  the  weed, 
And  tangles  drift;  to  oozy  places 
Where  the  sun  comes  not,  nor  freshet  tide. 
Not  healing  breeze  with  morning  in  it; 
But  all's  a  bloat  and  scummy  growth 
Of  wrack  of  spent  ships,  wan  dead  men. 
Smooth-lidded  traps  of  unmanly  death! 
Treachery  lurked  there,  watching.     I  paled 
And  crouched,  saying.  Love  is  not  here! 


2i6  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Then  where  is  Love  ?     Ah,  thou  hast  killed 

him! 
Thou  and  thy  vice!     Go,  sin  no  more, 
Lest  I  say,  God  made  thee,  and  lust  is  God. 

Phaedra  has  withdrawn  herself  from  him,  and  now 
covers  her  face. 

Phaedra  (lov^^) 

O  cruel,  O  harsh,  inexorable 
Mis-handler  of  women!     How  do  I  sin 
When  I  Hft  fading  eyes  to  the  light  ? 
Is  it  a  sin  that  I  seek  to  hve,  or  a  sin 
That  youth  calls  clear  unto  youth  ?     O  heart. 
Shall  spring  wither,  and  summer  go. 
Boon  autumn,  with  corn-sheaves  in  her  arms, 
Pass,  she  too,  looking  down  ?     So  all 
The  rout  of  the  years,  the  flood-tide  of  life 
Course  by  us,  bowed  like  grass  to  the  sickle  ? 
Not  that,  Hippolytus;  love  was  given 
To  us  for  fruitage 

Hippolytus  (aside) 

I  see  in  the  woodland 
My  Goddess,  pure  in  the  white  hght 
That  rays  at  even  from  the  first  clear  star, 
In  still,  high-girdled  raiment! 

(To  Phaedra) 

But  thou — 
Thou  mangiest  love  as  thou  hast  me, 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      217 

With  flesh-hooks  raking  his  crimson  wings 
Down  from  the  sky!     Wilt  thou  rob  God  ? 

[She  straineth  towards  him. 


Phaedra 

I  am  distraught,  my  breath  comes  thick, 

Mine  eyes  are  a  scalding  waste  of  tears; 

Fever  eateth  me:  see,  I  fall  down, 

I  fall  to  thy  feet.     Hippolytus! 

Shame  me,  do  with  me  as  thou  wilt — 

Phaedra  the  queen,  thy  dog! 

Spurn  or  misuse  me — let  me  be  with  thee! 

Hippolytus 

I  pray  for  you  whom  frenzy  enters. 

For  you  whom  craving  possesses  and  tears. 

Phaedra 

Kiss  me  again — ah,  but  thou  shalt! 
I  have  thy  hand  in  my  wasted  hands — 
I  cling  to  thy  knees — I  clasp  thy  chin! 
Stoop  now,  kissing  me  once!     O  Gods! 
I  would  spend  all  the  glory  of  Athens 
That  this  tall  youth  once  kiss  my  mouth! 
Lay  thy  proud  lips  on  mine,  Hippolytus, 
I  anjruish  for  them! 


2i8  THE  AGONISTS  m 

HiPPOLYTUS 

OfF!    Thou  art  foul, 
A  leprous  woman  and  poisonous. 
I  shake  thee  off.     Go,  drag  thy  shame 
Where  cleansing  waters  are.     Taint  me  not. 

Then  he  spurns  her,  and  she  recoils,  and  rage  gathers 
in  her,  and  breaks. 

Phaedra 

So!     'Tis  enough.     Then,  sick  self-lover, 
Go  thou  to  death,  a  craven  soul 
That  watches  a  woman  shame  herself. 
And  gathers  credit  from  each  poor  shift. 
Ah,  but  thou  heartenest  me  for  this  work! 

I  could  have  saved  thee,  lulled  the  curse 
Pronounced  upon  thee  and  stooping  for  thee. 
The  cold  and  curse  of  the  sea,  the  maHce 
Hid  in  the  rocks,  with  death. 
Pale  Death  and  Disaster  on  the  watch. 
I  would  not  save  thee  now;  I  would  stand 
And  watch  the  spilling  thy  traitor  hfe. 
And  laugh  with  clamour  of  shrill  sea-birds 
Sure  of  a  feast.     Nay,  Hsten  and  tremble! 
I  invoke  Poseidon,  the  storm-dweller, 
And  all  his  horror:  white  sea-squalls 
That  creeping  cast  their  frozen  shrouds, 
Gulfs  of  wet  ruin,  crested  waves 
That  race  and  ride  each  other  in  haste; 
Let  these  tear  thy  carcase  as  the  teeth 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      219 

Of  rocks;  suck  thee  under  the  traps 

And  shelves  of  rocks,  that  gaping  fish, 

Slow,  bhnd  monsters  of  soundless  seas. 

Crawl  groping  over  thee.     Nor  rest  then! 

Let  the  unstaying  sea  give  thee,  wretch. 

No  stay  at  all,  but  toy  with  thee 

In  mock  perpetual  of  ebb  and  flow. 

Thro'  tumult  of  black  and  stormy  nights. 

Through  listless,  long  and  idle  days, 

Till  weed  and  scum,  sickening  of  thee, 

Bid  blind  worms  fret  thee  to  a  rag; 

Cast  thee  unhonoured,  not  sought,  forgotten, 

A  loathing  to  thy  foes,  a  burden 

To  that  which  gloated  thy  full  of  shame — 

Dung  for  the  spawn  of  tideless  beds. 

Hear  me,  thou  Ancient  of  the  Sea, 
Poseidon!     Pale-eyed  Thetis,  hear! 

THippOLYTUs  sets  a  foot  on  his  chariot. 


HiPPOLYTUS 

O  woman,  that  dost  rail  to  ease  thy  rankle 

Of  shame  and  scorn  of  thyself; 

Thou  that  seekest  to  add 

A  pain  to  the  pain  I  have  lived, 

What  dost  thou  think  of  death  .? 

Think'st  thou  he  makes  his  bed  in  a  thicket 

of  spines  .'' 
Nay,  but  his  ways  are  quiet; 


220  THE  AGONISTS  m 

He  dwelleth  in  fragrant  places 
Of  sleep,  full  of  dreams,  husht  by  murmuring 
pines. 

Look  now,  Phaedra,  slave  of  desire, 

I  have  trodden  the  mire 

Of  envious  days;  I  have  called  upon  God 

To  turn  the  light  of  his  face. 

No  sign!     Heaven  was  black. 

And  black  the  mantle  he  laid  upon  earth. 

Nothing  for  me  spake  of  love,  who  prayed. 

Then  I  fell  back 
From  the  chase,  saying,  Curst  from  birth! 
That,  seeing,  I  might  not  know. 
Not  hearing,  discover 
The  flame  of  that  Spirit  that  broods  and  stirs, 

and  is  love! 

Yet  I  know  the  hour  is  at  hand  when  that 

fairest,  that  flusht 
Presence  of  God  shall  be  here,  to  enfold  us 

and  lap  us 
In  a  soft  haven  of  solace,  a  beam  of  his  light 
Shed  on  faint  souls  from  the  dawn.     For  I 

know 
Love,  the  King,  Hveth  unseen,  yet  unheard, 

not  felt. 
But  to  be  known  of  men  when  the  way  shall 

be  lit 
By  the  torches  of  God,  now  hidden  from  me! 
So  I  die  well  at  ease,  for  behold!     Love  is 

in  me,  enshrined,  but  not  known) 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      221 

I  that  was  formed  to  be  of  Love  the  lover, 
To  sing  his  praises,  now  seek  surefoot  death. 
Seeing  that  other  issue  is  denied  me, 
The  gleam  I  joyed  in  quenched  and  dark. 
Ho,  now,  Poseidon,  have  thy  pleasure  of  me! 

[He  mounts  his  chariot  and  gathers  the  reins. 

Phaedra 

Go,  scorner,  of  the  voice  of  women  crying, 
Slink  thou,  accurst  from  birth,  to  death  more 
sharp. 

HippoLYTUS  drives  his  team  down  the  path  to  the  sea. 
The  Chorus  come  forward  and  watch  him  from  the 
edge  of  the  cliff.     The  storm  is  at  its  height. 

Chorus 

Pride  sitteth  on  his  brows  as  on  a  throne. 

And  he  goeth,  splendid,  alone. 

By  the  foam-shattered,  ruinous  waste  of  the 

shore. 
The  sea  is  mad,  and  shudders  beneath 
The  knees  of  the  mighty  one, 
Even  Poseidon  that  holdeth  the  reins.     The 

sea  gnashes  his  teeth. 
The  way  Hes  withered  and  frore: 
Yet  the  hero  urgeth  him  on. 

Phaedra 
Not  for  long! 
Hardly  shall  sea  hold  off  so  much  as  a  span. 


222  THE  AGONISTS  m 

For  Poseidon  watches  and  waits. 

Hear  ye  the  mews  ?     They  are  hoarse,  they 

wheel  as  the  Fates 
That  hanker  the  drowned  eyes  of  a  man 
And  the  tossed  soul  of  him  too! 
So  let  him  weary  of  watching,  and  lo!  when 

manhood  abates. 
He  shall  tire,  and  they  in  a  throng 
Scream,  and  hover,  and  pounce! 

Chorus 

The    wind    raveth,    I    hear    the    shuddering 

trees ! 
Now  it  buffets  the  crest  of  the  flood ! 
The  sea  is  amazed,  distraught;  yet  the  knees 
Of  the  terrible  rider  have  grip. 
The  wind  is  his  whip! 

Ho,  he  cutteth  the  water,  he  raises  his  arm 
To   passionate  evil:    the   sea   is  white   with 

alarm — 
As  a  flogged  horse,  he  showeth  the  whites  of 

his  eyes! 
Now,  beneficent  Gods,  help  ye,  arise 
Ere  the  hero  dies! 

Phaedra 

Vain  your  crying;    the  Gods  are  throned  in 

the  skies; 
Haply  they  feast.     Poseidon  only  is  here, 
Taking  his  sport! 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      223 

Lover,  he,  of  the  storm,  and  sudden  shock 

of  a  wreck. 
The  smooth,  water-drowned  deck, 
And  ship  reehng  to  port, 
Tossed,  buffeted,  trapped,  dereHct, 
With  her  wan  sailors  arow! 
Haste,  Shaker  of  Earth,  let  his  end  be  quick, 
Let  his  end  be  now! 

Chorus 

Lo,  he  is  well  on  the  way 

And  urgeth  mainly  the  steeds 

O'er     the     water-swept     beach!     The     gale 

maketh  them  swerve; 
They  are  restive,  they  sway; 
The    tide    races     on — reaches — he's     down! 

Nay,  nay! 
O  might  of  iron-cast  nerve, 
O  King,  thou'rt  a  King  this  day 
For  heroes  to  serve! 

Phaedra  (not  looking) 

What,  does  he  linger  yet. 
Outcast,  spurned  of  women  and  Gods  ? 
Do  the  waves  still  fret 
To  be  at  him  and  raven  him  down  ? 
Surely  Poseidon,  brooder  of  tempest,  nods. 
Or  the  sea  suro-eth  in  vain! 
Hark  to  the  battle  above  us — the  sky  is  in 
pain! 


224  THE   AGONISTS  m 

Hark  to  the  thunderous  billows,  the  sweep  of 

the  rain, 
Hissing  as  rods. 
To  beat  to  frenzy  the  struck  flank  of  the 

main! 
Tell  me  now,  what  canst  thou  see  ? 

Chorus 

The  foam  is  flung  as  a  mist,  the  land  is  washt 

out: 
Nothing!     The  sea-beast  is  loose. 

Phaedra 
Yea,  for  I  hear  him  and  join  in  the  shout. 

Chorus 

Woe!     Woe!   look  about,  look  about! 
Wave  upon  wave,  fury  fury  pursues! 
Now  all  is  clear.     I  can  see. 

Phaedra 
Hippolytus,  where  is  he  ? 

Chorus 

The  sea  is  upon  him,  about  him,  above — 
The  green  billow  hangs  curving  in  air — 
All  the  eyes  of  the  sea  are  angry  and  bare! 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      225 

It  hangs  quivering,  mountainous,  tossed — 
Heu!     It  falls — he  is  lost — he  is  lost! 
Horses   and   man   sweep   out,   to  death   and 

despair! 
O  queen,  a  hero,  went  there! 

Phaedra 

Lo,  for  an  end  of  him,  scorner  of  love! 
Lo,  Poseidon,  conqueror!     Masterful  sea! 
Lo,  Phaedra,  triumphing,  queen  to  the  end! 
He  cast  me  below  him,  and  even  below  is  he. 

[A  pause. 

Hark  to  this  clamour,  than  storm  more  shrill. 
Who  Cometh  crying .? 

Chorus  (looking  landwards) 

With  fear-fanned  eyes. 
As  one  that's  looked  on  havoc,  he  comes 
Beating  his   way   through    the   horsemen   of 

air — 
A  Cretan!     Speak,  we  are  Cretans. 

[A  Messenger  from  the  tents  comes  in  swiftly. 

Messenger 
The  King!     King  Minos! 

Phaedra 
Tell  what  thou  hast  of  the  King  my  father. 


226  THE   AGONISTS  m 

Messenger 
He  was  thy  father. 

Phaedra  (Hfting  her  head) 

King  of  Crete! 
Now,  Gods,  ye  mock  me!     I  seek  him  out. 

[She  goes  out  to  the  tents. 

Chorus 

O  ever  dreadful,  sudden  in  haste — 
How  hke  a  cloud  she  scourgeth  on 
With  black  hair  flying,  and  thin  hands 
Raised  up  to  tear  the  light.     Speak  thou. 

Messenger 

The  old  King  slept. 
But  murmured  in  his  sleep,  and  stirred,  and 

woke, 
Saying  in  cold  fashion,  "The  end  is  nigh. 
Bring  ye  my  harness."     So  we  did,  and  he, 
Raising  himself,  did  do  on  bronze  and  leather, 
Set  his  great  helm  with  nodding  crest 
Upon  his  head,  his  sword  to  thigh, 
His     sceptre     took,     and     lightning-charged 

shield, 
And  sat  enthroned,  as  he  were  judge  for  Zeus 
Once  more  in  Crete.     So  silence  fell 
Wherein  no  man  durst  say  him  anything; 


Ill        DEATH  OF   HIPPOLYTUS      227 

Nor  did  he  speak. 

We  heard  the  tramp  of  men, 
The  creak  and  groan  of  chariot-wheels, 
And  panic  fell  on  all,  except  on  Minos, 
Set  mute  and  cold  above  the  bed 
With  never  glance  or  stir.     They  burst  the 

doors, 
A  horde  of  shagged,  fierce-eyed  and  sullen 

men, 
Hungry  for  prey.     But  Minos  sat  still. 
As  carved  in  marble,  a  frozen  king; 
And    no    man    spake    nor    moved.     Then, 

when  the  storm 
Seemed  at  its  high  of  furious  possession. 
And  a  vast  bulk  of  water  struck, 
To  shake  the  broad  foundations  of  the  earth. 
The  pallid  King  rose  slowly,  and  spake  like 

death. 
Saying,    "This    is    the    Doom    declared    by 

Zeus. 
Evil  was  done;  evil  ensued;  and  now 
Evil  must  end."     And  then  he  sat 
Again  upon  his  throne,  and  bowed  his  head 
Down  to  his  two  stiff  knees,  and  stayed,  and 

died — 
Alone,  untoucht,  indomitable. 

Chorus 

Where  is   thy  victory,  sea  ,?     Where,  death, 
thy  pride  ^ 


228  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Where,   thin  -  lipped    hate,    thy   pleasure   in 

men's  grief? 
So  died  Hippolytus,  so  Minos  died, 
Meeting  you,  armoured  thus, 
Facing  you  thus,  they  died, 
Scorning  your  dreadful  state; 
And  each  victorious 
Sought  out  the  Fields  Elysian,  glorified. 

Yet  on  Hippolytus 

Ye  laid  a  vengeance  keen; 

Ardent  Hippolytus 

That  kept  him  chaste  and  clean 

For  sake  of  Her  whom,  loving,  he  could  not 

know. 
Hapless  his  fortune  was 
That  seeking  high  and  low, 
CalHng  on  Love,  Love  never  showed  his  wing. 
Nor  hope  could  bring 
That  of  some   far-off  day  the  dawn  would 

spring 
To  show  earth  beauteous. 

Let  us  bewail  his  lamentable  death. 
And  tell  his  tale  wherever  youth 
Longeth  and  meeteth  ruth. 
Let  the  sweet  breath 
Of  virgins  sigh  over  his  grave, 
The  murmuring  wave 

That  serveth  him  at  once  for  sod  and  funeral 
stave. 


Ill        DEATH  OF   HIPPOLYTUS      229 

Messenger 

The  sea  holdeth  Hippolytus: 

What  can  ye  pay,  what  rite, 

Where  is  no  corpse,  nor  tomb  to  hallow  ? 

Chorus 

Justly  thou  speakest.     Seek  rather  we 
Our  great-hearted  King. 

Messenger 

Seek  Phaedra  first, 
Last  of  his  house,  last  King  of  Crete. 

Chorus 

Sombre-browed  as  of  old. 

She  Cometh  with  convulsed  hands 

And  ruin  scowhng  across  her! 

O  thou  terrible  Queen,  harder  than  life, 

Fiercer  than  death, 

Look  not  so  forceful  upon  us! 

[Phaedra  enters  now. 

Phaedra 

Minos  is  dead,  passing  a  King 

With  all  his  state  about  him. 

He  might  have  lived,  but  is  dead. 

What  say  ye  .''     The  kingship  falleth  to  me, 

Last  of  the  House  of  the  Bull. 


230  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Chorus 
Who  can  be  King  when  storm  is  King  ? 

Phaedra 

The  storm  that  wrecked  Hippolytus 
Wrecketh      me     not.     Where     ebbs     your 
Dorian  spirit  ? 

Chorus 

He  shows  the  stoutest  nerve  who  mourns 
Wrong  done,  good  deeds  avoided. 

Phaedra 

Let  those  who  covet  safety  follow 
Their  queen.     Who  cometh  here  ? 

Artemis  appears,  robed  now  in  grey.     She  carries  a 
torch.     The  dusk  is  falling  in,  and  the  storm  has  abated. 

Who  art  thou,  Spirit,  walking  as  God  ? 

Artemis 

Thou  last  of  an  iron  stock, 
That  thinkest  to  delay 
Doom  by  thyself  prepared; 
Seeker  of  ill,  and  cheat 
Of  thyself,  why  should  I  stay  ? 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      231 

Hast  thou  not  wrought  woe  enough  ? 

Death  struck  thy  father  Hes 

Whom  death  of  thy  lust  had  saved: 

Is  it  enough  ?     Thy  lord  dishonoured, 

Thyself  blood-guilty  for  him; 

The  Seer  of  lovely  things  under  the  sun, 

Struck  to  the  soul, 

Blighted  by  thee  to  see  foul  things  in  sweet 

things : 
Pasiphae's  child,  is  this  work  enough  ? 
Shall  I  delay  ? 

Phaedra  (awed) 

I  know  thee  not. 
Yet  do  believe  thou  hast  that  strength 
Thou  vauntest.     I  think  thou  art  God. 

Chorus 
Artemis!     Artemis! 

Phaedra 

Hear  then,  Goddess.     By  my  father's  soul 

I  fear  thee  not.     That  which  I  did 

Was  sown  in  me  from  my  wother's  womb. 

As  her  deed  in  hers.     We  sowed  it  not. 

But  goaded  like  cattle  followed  the  doom 

Set  of  old.     No  fault  at  all 

Lies  in  us  fettered  ones,  swirling  as  wrack 

Upon  a  flood  racing  to  sea. 

Strike  therefore  soon. 


232  THE  AGONISTS  m 

Artemis 

I  make  an  end 
Of  thee  and  wrangling  matters  too  high 
For  thee  to  stretch  at.     Evil  and  Good 
Were  set  before  thee.     Thou  wouldst  sup  ill. 
Thou  madest  choice.     Now  get  thee  back- 
ward. 
Poseidon  awaiteth. 

The  Goddess  advances,  and  Phaedra,  as  if  fighting 
invisible  foes,  steps  back  and  back  until  she  stands  with 
her  arms  extended  on  the  very  verge  of  the  cliff.  She 
sees  her  peril,  but  is  careless  to  avoid  it.  The  Goddess 
lifts  her  hand,  and  Phaedra  with  a  great  cry  falls  over  the 
cliff.    The  Chorus  describe  this  action  in  quick  whispers. 

Chorus 

She  edgeth  backward,  fending  with  hands, 
As  one  that  fighteth  the  breath  of  fire; 
Hatred  haunteth  her  eyes  and  shame 
Unacknowledged  and  undeclared! 
Ah!     Ah!     This  is  the  end. 
Now  she  is  gone  down  quick  to  the  doom 
prepared. 

[They  assemble  themselves. 

Begotten  in  wrong,  with  wrong  upheld,  and 

by  wrong 
Driven  to  outraged  end, 
Lo,  the  portion  of  him  who  seeketh  out  God 
To  make  him  a  friend! 


in        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      233 

God  must  abide  with  God  world  without  end. 
And   man   cleave  unto  man  on   this  mortal 
road. 

What  is  the  Wisdom  of  God  without  Power 

of  God  ? 
What    Power,    Wisdom,    without    the    Love 

that  is  only  in  men, 
Only  for  them  ?     Our  masters  have  trod 
And    bruised    us    to    blood — and    how   shall 

Love  come  again. 
Since   Wisdom   ministers    Lust,   and    Power 

spreadeth  Lust  abroad  ? 

Shall  there  ever  be  Gods  with  love  as  of  men. 
Or    men    nurse    love    in    their    hearts    with 

wisdom  of  Gods 
And  power  of  Gods  ? 
Scourged  and  beaten  with  rods. 
Curst  and  hated  in  vain. 
Can  a  God-man  be,  lord  of  himself  and  the 

hour, 
Welding    in    one    Love    and    Wisdom    and 

Power  ? 
Earth  should  kiss  Heaven  then. 

Enough,  Goddess,  enough! 

Is  not  the  cup  of  thy  vengeance  full  ? 

One   by  one   they  have   perished,  gone  into 

the  night — 
As  one  that  travelleth  far 


234  THE  AGONISTS  m 

They  have  set  their  faces  away, 

And  their  place  knows  them  no  more! 

So  in  bad  blood  and  hardened  hearts  begun, 

And  in  conflicting  lust 

The  terrible  tale  is  told. 

Stay  now  thy  hand,  Artemis!     Put  up  thy 

spear. 
Thou  that  strikest  the  deer! 
Smile  out  upon  us,  Maid  without  fear. 
For  smitten  to  dust 
All   the   pomp   of  Minos   and   pride   of  his 

state, 
Fallen,   fallen,   that  once   were   goodly   and 

great; 
And  all  the  Blood  of  the  Bull  spilt  as  it  was 

foretold. 

[The  light  rays  again  from  the  Goddess. 

Artemis 

Comfort  ye,  for  the  youth  Hippolytus 
Liveth,  pure  of  his  grief,  his  passion 
Spent — in  calm  of  vigil  and  prayer. 
With  me  in  communion  not  of  this  world. 

Deep  in  the  woodland  he  hath  his  home. 
By   the   lake   where    no   foot    breaketh    the 

silence: 
There  I  visit  him,  there  he  loveth  me, 
There  of  each  other  we  take  our  joy. 


Ill        DEATH  OF  HIPPOLYTUS      235 

Comfort  ye,  Love  cannot  die  that  lendeth 
Rather  than  earneth.     Ye  Cretan  wanderers, 
Follow  your  hope!     In  this  high  fashion 
God  and  Man  mingle  and  mate  each  other: 

Emptied  each,  and  each  fulfilled 
By  love  supreme  that  seeketh  no  price. 
Here  and  in  Heaven  they  set  a  kingdom 
Fast  for  ever  for  all  ye  sorrowful. 

Seek  ye  the  ships,  launch  for  your  land, 
Homeward  hie,  passing  in  trustfulness 
Crest  and  furrow;  holding  in  patience 
Your  way  over  sea — for  strife  is  ended. 

[Artemis  disappears. 

Chorus 

This  is  a  faithful  saying!  and  since  She 
Whom  ever  Dorian  eyes  have  sought, 
And  to  their  children  taught, 
Leaveth  us  now  with  words  of  peace. 
Let  us  await  the  issue  she  decrees; 
Bowing  our  heads  until  the  storm  be  past. 
Waiting  with  hope  the  promise  of  new  day. 

The  storm  has  died  down.  There  is  no  wind,  and 
over  sea  a  bar  of  pale  amber  light  shows,  low  down  in 
the  sky. 


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